This book discusses oxidative stress and hormesis from the perspective of an evolutionary ecologist or physiologist. In the first of ten chapters, general historical information, definitions, and background of research on oxidative stress physiology, hormesis, and life history are provided. Chapters 2-10 highlight the different solutions that organisms have evolved to cope with the oxidative threats posed by their environments and lifestyles. The author illustrates how oxidative stress and hormesis have shaped diversity in organism life-histories, behavioral profiles, morphological phenotypes, and aging mechanisms. The book offers fascinating insights into how organisms work and how they evolve to sustain their physiological functions under a vast array of environmental conditions.

E.F.F. Chladni's experiments and observations with sound and vibrations profoundly influenced the development of the field of Acoustics. The famous Chladni diagrams along with other observations are contained in Die Akustik, published in German in 1802 and Traite d'Acoustique, a greatly expanded version, published in French in 1809. This is the first comprehensive translation of the expanded French version of Traite d'Acoustique, using the 1802 German publication for reference and clarification. The translation was undertaken by Robert T. Beyer, PhD (1920-2008), noted acoustician, Professor of Physics at Brown University, and Gold Medal recipient of the Acoustical Society of America. Along with many other projects completed over the course of his career, Dr. Beyer translated Von Neumann's seminal work, Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics from the original German, spent 30 years translating Russian physics treatises and journals, served as editor of the English translation of the Soviet Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, and also authored Sounds of our Times: Two Hundred Years of Acoustics.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE), known as prion diseases, have been recognized for nearly 300 years in animals and almost 100 years in humans. Modern studies, including the protein-misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), have greatly advanced our understanding of the pathogenesis of prion diseases and facilitated the identification of new prion diseases in animals and humans. In the second edition of Prions and Diseases, more than 60 leading researchers and clinicians worldwide provide an up-to-date discussion of these unique infectious pathogens and their associated diseases. The book provides up-to-date knowledge about the etiology, pathogenesis, classification, histopathological, and clinical aspects of the full range of animal and human prion diseases. As a result, the book contains by far the most authoritative views about the past, present, and future of prions and prion diseases. The new second edition covers such important emerging topics such as inherited human prion disease, stem-cell models in prion research, human prion disease surveillance, and gene therapy strategies.

This SpringerBrief provides a concise summary on the chemistry and function of murine pheromones in reproduction. It discusses mechanisms of action as well as the applicability of these mechanisms to humans. The image of pheromones is usually some invisible mysterious chemicals that make people attracted to the opposite sex. However, pheromones have many functions and one that perhaps is not well known yet is that they affect the reproductive status of others. Males' pheromones stimulate females' reproductive status and vice versa. This book will present studies on male mice which is rarely covered and will also discuss trans-generational influences of pheromones. The book addresses Professors, researchers and students working in animal neurochemistry, chemical signaling and reproductive medicine.

Veterinary science is continuously achieving important developments in all its fields as a result of continuous technological advances in diagnostic tools and applied biology. This book contains 33 papers that were selected from those presented at the 65th Congress of the Italian Society for Veterinary Sciences held at Tropea-Drapia in 2011. It provides a timely overview of the current progress being made by Italian researchers and is of great value to anyone interested in all fields of veterinary science, both theoretical and applied, ranging from animal health and care to animal production and food hygiene.

Originally published in 1932, this book examines how hormones and nervous impulses affect the body, with special reference to animals with colour-changing abilities. Parker gives examples from various areas of the animal kingdom, both vertebrates and invertebrates, to demonstrate how the stimulation of certain sensory organs and nerves can produce very different effects and to draw wider conclusions about the role that 'nervous secretion' can play in other physiological operations. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of science and comparative physiology.

Originally published in 1928 as part of the Cambridge Comparative Physiology series, this book examines whether all muscular contractions use essentially the same processes regardless of the type of muscle in question. Ritchie uses an isolated muscle from a frog to investigate whether the chemical and physical causes of a simple muscle twitch can be responsible for the movements of all muscles. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of science or comparative physiology.

Originally published in 1939 as part of the Cambridge Comparative Physiology series, this book details how animals living in water regulate their internal water content. Krough exhaustively surveys animals from protozoa to crustaceans and aquatic birds, as well as examining the osmotic conditions in sensitive eggs and embryos. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in osmosis and the life of aquatic animals.

Originally published in 1927 as the third instalment of the Cambridge Comparative Physiology series, this book examines the role of hormones in 'co-ordinating the activities of the organism'. Hogben illustrates the text with charts to illustrate key points, as well as photographs of animal specimens to demonstrate the role of certain secretions in processes such as growth and colour development. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of science.

With the availability of high speed computers and advances in computational techniques, the application of mathematical modeling to biological systems is expanding. This comprehensive and richly illustrated volume provides up-to-date, wide-ranging material on the mathematical modeling of kidney physiology, including clinical data analysis and practice exercises. Basic concepts and modeling techniques introduced in this volume can be applied to other areas (or organs) of physiology.

The models presented describe the main homeostatic functions performed by the kidney, including blood filtration, excretion of water and salt, maintenance of electrolyte balance and regulation of blood pressure. Each chapter includes an introduction to the basic relevant physiology, a derivation of the essential conservation equations and then a discussion of a series of mathematical models, with increasing level of complexity.

This volume will be of interest to biological and mathematical scientists, as well as physiologists and nephrologists, who would like an introduction to mathematical techniques that can be applied to renal transport and function. The material is written for students who have had college-level calculus, but can be used in modeling courses in applied mathematics at all levels through early graduate courses.

Originally published in 1928 as part of the Cambridge Comparative Physiology series, this book examines the importance of cilia in the lives of many invertebrate animals. Gray demonstrates how cilia, not muscle fibres, often play the dominant role as organs of contraction and locomotion and explains how ciliated surfaces are co-ordinated. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of science.

Originally published in 1927 as part of the Cambridge Comparative Physiology series, this book examines the composition and function of the heart in a range of animals, both vertebrates and invertebrates. Clark examines subjects such as how the function of the heart differs between members of the same species who are not of the same size, as well as the nervous control of the heart and the differences in heart structure between cold- and warm-blooded animals. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of science or cardiology.

Originally published in 1957, this book provides a comprehensive account of the workings of the adrenal cortex in various vertebrate species. Chester Jones also covers the embryological development of the kidneys and suggests how the structure and function of the adrenal glands are related to one another in vertebrates. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the adrenal cortex or the history of science and zoology.

This book provides developmental data regarding piglets (with a focus on the gastrointestinal tract), data related to amino acid metabolism in pigs, data related to nutritional and physiological functions of amino acids in pigs, nutritional requirements for amino acids in pigs, signaling roles of amino acids, methodological aspects in amino acid research and the pig model for studying amino acid-related human diseases.

Originally published in 1934 as part of the Cambridge Comparative Physiology series, this book examines the key principles underlying animal physiology and the study of physiology. Barcroft shows how every natural internal process is affected and supported by other processes and systems, and concludes every chapter with a brief bibliography on the topics covered. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the study of physiology and the functions performed by the organs.

Latent knowledge in the field of pig reproduction is vast but scattered, making it difficult to take in all information at a glance. Moreover, nascent branches in biotechnology cannot grow if deprived of roots. The book Boar Reproduction: Fundamentals and New Biotechnological Trends links the past, the present and the emerging scientific research fields on reproductive biotechnology, offering a rigorous but easy to follow compilation of topics, from "old favorites" to the latest advances. The book is organized in three parts. The chapters of the first and second part cover various biological aspects of boar spermatozoa within the male, and within the female environments, respectively. The most common laboratory and artificial insemination techniques are discussed in the third part. As an additional feature, some chapters focus on the basis of a technology transfer to bring research expertise from basic science to the market, making the information provided in this book suitable for academic, research and other professional applications.

With over 43,000 species, spiders are the largest predacious arthropod group. They have developed key characteristics such as multi-purpose silk types, venoms consisting of hundreds of components, locomotion driven by muscles and hydraulic pressure, a highly evolved key-lock mechanism between the complex genital structures, and many more unique features. After 300 million years of evolutionary refinement, spiders are present in all land habitats and represent one of the most successful groups of terrestrial organisms. Ecophysiology combines functional and evolutionary aspects of morphology, physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology with ecology. Cutting-edge science in spiders focuses on the circulatory and respiratory system, locomotion and dispersal abilities, the immune system, endosymbionts and pathogens, chemical communication, gland secretions, venom components, silk structure, structure and perception of colours as well as nutritional requirements. Spiders are valuable indicator species in agroecosystems and for conservation biology. Modern transfer and application technologies research spiders and their products with respect to their value for biomimetics, material sciences, and the agrochemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Crustacean Nervous Systems and their Control of Behavior is the third volume of the series The Natural History of the Crustacea. This volume is on the functional organization of crustacean nervous systems, and how those nervous systems produce behavior. It complements other volumes on related topics of feeding biology, reproductive biology, endocrine systems, and behavioral ecology. There is a rich history of the study of the neurobiology of crustaceans, going back over 150 years. This has included studies on how their nervous systems allow them to perform behaviors that are adapted to their particular environments, as well as studying them as model organisms to understand basic biomedical principles about neural function, such as sensory transduction and processing, synaptic transmission and integration, neuromodulation, and learning and memory. The volume has three sections that build progressively on each other. The first section is on the basic organizational features of the crustacean nervous system and the principles upon which it is built. The second section is on sensory ecology - the organization of each sensory system and how it is used in intra- and interspecific interactions, within an ecological context. The third section uses case studies of how crustacean nervous systems are organized to perform complex behaviors and interactions, such as walking, escape, social interactions, and memory and learning. Taken together, the 20 chapters synthesize our modern understanding of the neural control of behavior in crustaceans, based on the most recent technologies in physiological recording, molecular biology, and computational science. This volume will be useful to students and researchers as a concise summary of current knowledge of crustacean neuroscience.

Originally published in 1927, this book presents a comprehensive study of the reproductive processes of the cow from the perspective of 'the relatively new subject of agricultural science'. The study provides accounts of the breeding season, the oestrous cycle, pregnancy and sterility, all incorporating detailed scientific analysis. Illustrative figures and a bibliography are also included. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the development of agriculture and the history of science.

Primate Craniofacial Function and Biology is an integrative volume with broad coverage of current research on primate craniofacial biology and function. Topic headings include: the mammalian perspective on primate craniofacial form and function, allometric and comparative morphological studies of primate heads, in vivo research on primate mastication, modeling of the primate masticatory apparatus, primate dental form and function, and palaeoanthropologic studies of primate skulls. Additionally, the volume includes introductory chapters discussing how primatologists study adaptations in primates and a discussion of in vivo approaches for studying primate performance. At present, there are no texts with a similar focus on primate craniofacial biology and no sources that approach this topic from such a wide range of research perspectives. This breadth of research covered by leaders in their respective fields make this volume a unique and innovative contribution to biological anthropology.

The book, entitled "Welfare of farmed fish in present and future production systems", summarises the view of more than 80 experts in the field of fish welfare, collected over a period of more than five years in an international network entitled "Welfare of Fish in European Aquaculture" (Cost action 867), which was sponsored by the COST Office. COST is the acronym for European Cooperation in Science and Technology. During the time of the action a shift became evident in the general perception of fish welfare. It now not only includes variables with very direct effects on growth, and thereby the economy of the farmer, such as disease, water and feed quality, but the term also includes fish preferences and biology-based stimulation measures. This Cost action has contributed to the notion that welfare sets biological criteria for a sustainable production system. We present the reader with an overview of the results obtained, which can help to guide the way towards welfare of farmed fish in present and future production systems. The first chapter gives an overview of the scientific papers that follow. All scientific papers and the first chapter were previously published in Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, vol. 38, number 1, 2012. Given the accruing interest in fish welfare in society, each of these scientific papers should be accessible for stakeholders that are not part of the research community. For that reason each of the scientific papers is preceded by a summary for non-experts. Previously published in Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, vol. 38, number 1, 2012

Leaping Ahead: Advances in Prosimian Biology presents a summary of the state of prosimian biology as we move into the second decade of the 21st century. The book covers a wide range of topics, from assessments of diversity and evolutionary scenarios, through ecophysiology, cognition, behavioral and sensory ecology, to the conservation and survival prospects of this extraordinary and diverse group of mammals. The collection was inspired by an international conference in Ithala, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2007, where prosimian biologists gathered from Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The meeting reverberated with the passion prosimian researchers feel for their study subjects and with their deep concern for the future of prosimians in the face of ongoing habitat destruction and the burgeoning threat of bushmeat hunting. Chapters for this volume were contributed by researchers from across the globe; they attest to the diversity, vibrancy and rapid growth of prosimian biology, and to the intellectual advances that have revolutionized this field in recent years. Since its earliest beginnings, prosimian research and its resultant literature have had a strong francophone component, and researchers in many prosimian habitat countries are more comfortable reading and writing in French rather than English. French summaries of all chapters have been included. The volume is targeted at researchers, both those entering the field and established scientists, who have an interest in the biology of primates and small mammals. It is also aimed at conservation biologists seeking a deeper understanding of the faunas and conservation developments in Africa, Madagascar and Southeast Asia, and anyone who has an interest in discovering the true diversity of our order, the Primates.

In light of mounting fishing pressures, increased aquaculture production and a growing concern for fish well-being, improved knowledge on the swimming physiology of fish and its application to fisheries science and aquaculture is needed. This book presents recent investigations into some of the most extreme examples of swimming migrations in salmons, eels and tunas, integrating knowledge on their performance in the laboratory with that in their natural environment. For the first time, the application of swimming in aquaculture is explored by assessing the potential impacts and beneficial effects. The modified nutritional requirements of "athletic" fish are reviewed as well as the effects of exercise on muscle composition and meat quality using state-of-the-art techniques in genomics and proteomics. The last chapters introduce zebrafish as a novel exercise model and present the latest technologies for studying fish swimming and aquaculture applications.

All animals face the possibility of food limitation and ultimately starvation-induced mortality. This book summarizes state of the art of starvation biology from the ecological causes of food limitation to the physiological and evolutionary consequences of prolonged fasting. It is written for an audience with an understanding of general principles in animal physiology, yet offers a level of analysis and interpretation that will engage seasoned scientists. Each chapter is written by active researchers in the field of comparative physiology and draws on the primary literature of starvation both in nature and the laboratory. The chapters are organized among broad taxonomic categories, such as protists, arthropods, fishes, reptiles, birds, and flying, aquatic, and terrestrial mammals including humans; particularly well-studied animal models, e.g. endotherms are further organized by experimental approaches, such as analyses of blood metabolites, stable isotopes, thermobiology, and modeling of body composition.

This book summarises the newest information on seasonal adaptation in animals. Topics include animal hibernation, daily torpor, thermoregulation, heat production, metabolic depression, biochemical adaptations, neurophysiology and energy balance. The contributors to this book present interdisciplinary research at multiple levels ranging from the molecular to the ecophysiological, as well as evolutionary approaches. The chapters of this book provide original data not published elsewhere, which makes it the most up-to-date, comprehensive source of information on these fields.

The book s subchapters correspond to presentations given at the 14th International Hibernation Symposium in August 2012 in Austria. This is a very successful series of symposia (held every four years since 1959) that attracts leading researchers in the field. Like the past symposia, this meeting and consequently the book is aimed not only at hibernation but at covering the full range of animal adaptations to seasonal environments. For the next four years, this book will serve as the cutting-edge reference work for graduate students and scientists active in this field of physiology and ecology.."