Computational pre-screening of antigens is now routinely applied to the discovery of vaccine candidates.
Computer-aided vaccine design is a comprehensive introduction to this exciting field of study. The book is intended to be a textbook for researchers and for courses in bioinformatics, as well as a laboratory reference guide. It is written mainly for biologists who want to understand the current methods of computer-aided vaccine design. The contents are designed to help biologists appreciate the underlying concepts and algorithms used, as well as limitations of the methods and strategies for their use. Chapters include: MHC and T cell responses; Immunoglobulins and B cell responses; Scientific publications and databases; Database design; Computational T cell vaccine design; Computational B cell vaccine design; infectious disease informatics; Vaccine safety and quality assessments; and Vaccine adjuvant informatics.
Essential reading for any biologist who wants to understand methods of computer-aided vaccine designDescription of available data sources and publicly available software, with detailed analysis of strengths and weaknessesTheoretical concepts and practical examples of database design and development for a virtual screening campaign

Bacteria, yeast, fungi and microalgae can act as producers (or catalysts for the production) of food ingredients, enzymes and nutraceuticals. With the current trend towards the use of natural ingredients in foods, there is renewed interest in microbial flavours and colours, food bioprocessing using enzymes and food biopreservation using bacteriocins. Microbial production of substances such as organic acids and hydrocolloids also remains an important and fast-changing area of research. Microbial production of food ingredients, enzymes and nutraceuticals provides a comprehensive overview of microbial production of food ingredients, enzymes and nutraceuticals.
Part one reviews developments in the metabolic engineering of industrial microorganisms and advances in fermentation technology in the production of fungi, yeasts, enzymes and nutraceuticals. Part two discusses the production and application in food processing of substances such as carotenoids, flavonoids and terponoids, enzymes, probiotics and prebiotics, bacteriocins, microbial polysaccharides, polyols and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Microbial production of food ingredients, enzymes and nutraceuticals is an invaluable guide for professionals in the fermentation industry as well as researchers and practitioners in the areas of biotechnology, microbiology, chemical engineering and food processing.
Provides a comprehensive overview of microbial flavours and colours, food bioprocessing using enzymes and food biopreservation using bacteriocinsBegins with a review of key areas of systems biology and metabolic engineering, including methods and developments for filamentous fungiAnalyses the use of microorganisms for the production of natural molecules for use in foods, including microbial production of food flavours and carotenoids

An expanded, up-to-date resource for students and researchers, "The Dictionary of Cell & Molecular Biology, Fifth Edition," provides clear and concise definitions needed for laboratory study. With over 12,000 entries and a breadth of terms across bioscience, including plant molecular biology, microbiology and biotechnology, this revision reflects the changes in the research over the past few years. The latest edition of "The Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology" maintains its outstanding reputation as an authoritative, clear, and accessible reference with short, cross-referenced definitions of important technical terminology.
Thoroughly revised and expanded by over 20% with over 12,000 entries in cellular and molecular biologyIncludes expanded coverage of terms, including plant molecular biology, microbiology and biotechnology areasConsistently provides the most complete short definitions of technical terminology for anyone working in life sciences todayFeatures extensive cross-references Provides multiple definitions, notes on word origins, and other useful features

First published in 1963, "Advances in Parasitology" contains comprehensive and up-to-date reviews in all areas of interest in contemporary parasitology.
"Advances in Parasitology" includes medical studies on parasites of major influence, such as "Plasmodium falciparum" and trypanosomes. The series also contains reviews of more traditional areas, such as zoology, taxonomy, and life history, which shape current thinking and applications.
Eclectic volumes are supplemented by thematic volumes on various topics, including control of human parasitic diseases and global mapping of infectious diseases. The 2010 impact factor is1.683.

* Informs and updates on all the latest developments in the field * Contributions from leading authorities and industry experts

"Immune Biology of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation" provides clinical and scientific researchers with a deep understanding of the current research in this field and the implications for translational practice. By providing an overview of the immune biology of HSCT, an explanation of immune rejection, and detail on antigens and their role in HSCT success, this book embraces biologists and clinicians who need a broad view of the deeply complex processes involved. It then moves on to discuss the immunobiology mechanisms that influence graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect, and transplantation success. Using illustrative figures, highlighting key issues, describing recent successes and discussing unanswered questions, this book sums up the current state of HSCT to enhance the prospects for the future.

Allogeneic HSCT is a medical procedure in which a patient receives blood-forming stem cells from a genetically similar but not identical donor. This procedure is commonly performed for people with diseases of the blood, bone marrow, or certain cancers, but it remains risky with many possible complications. As such, experimental practice is reserved for preclinical animal models including the mouse and dog.

These animal models have been essential in developing transplant protocols, including preclinical testing of conditioning regimens, treatment of GVHD, and understanding the pathology of GVHD as well as the immunological mechanisms of GVHD and GVL effect. However, recent research has revealed significant species differences between humans and animal models that must be considered when relating animal model studies to clinical allogeneic HSCT scenarios.
Brings together perspectives leading laboratories and clinical research groups to highlight advances from bench to the bedsideGuides readers through the caveats that must be considered when drawing conclusions from studies with animal models before correlating to clinical allogeneic HSCT scenariosCategorizes the published advances in various aspects of immune biology of allegeneic HSCT to illustrate opportunities for clinical applications

"Advances in Marine Biology" has been providing in-depth and up-to-date reviews on all aspects of marine biology since 1963 -- over 40 years of outstanding coverage The series is well known for both its excellence of reviews and editing. Now edited by Michael Lesser (University of New Hampshire, USA), with an internationally renowned Editorial Board, the serial publishes in-depth and up-to-date content on a wide range of topics that will appeal to postgraduates and researchers in marine biology, fisheries science, ecology, zoology, and biological oceanography.

"Advances in Marine Biology" has been providing in-depth and up-to-date reviews on all aspects of marine biology since 1963 -- over 40 years of outstanding coverage The series is well known for both its excellence of reviews and editing. Now edited by Michael Lesser (University of New Hampshire, USA), with an internationally renowned Editorial Board, the serial publishes in-depth and up-to-date content on a wide range of topics that will appeal to postgraduates and researchers in marine biology, fisheries science, ecology, zoology, and biological oceanography.

Why do people find monkeys and apes so compelling to watch? One clear answer is that they seem so similar to us-a window into our own minds and how we have evolved over millennia. As Charles Darwin wrote in his Notebook, "He who understands baboon would do more toward metaphysics than Locke." Darwin recognized that behavior and cognition, and the neural architecture that support them, evolved to solve specific social and ecological problems. Defining these problems for neurobiological study, and conveying neurobiological results to ethologists and psychologists, is fundamental to an evolutionary understanding of brain and behavior. The goal of this book is to do just that. It collects, for the first time in a single book, information on primate behavior and cognition, neurobiology, and the emerging discipline of neuroethology. Here leading scientists in several fields review work ranging from primate foraging behavior to the neurophysiology of motor control, from vocal communication to the functions of the auditory cortex. The resulting synthesis of cognitive, ethological, and neurobiological approaches to primate behavior yields a richer understanding of our primate cousins that also sheds light on the evolutionary development of human behavior and cognition.

Offering a study of biological, biomedical and biocultural approaches, the second edition of "Human Growth and Development "is a valued resource for researchers, professors and graduate students across the interdisciplinary area of human development. With timely chapters on obesity, diet / lifestyle, and genetics, this editionis the only publication offering a biological, biomedical and biocultural approach. The second edition of "Human Growth and Development" includes contributions from the well-known experts in the field and is the most reputable, comprehensive resource available.
New chapters discussing genomics and epigenetics, developmental origins, body proportions and health and the brain and neurological development.Presented in the form of lectures to facilitate student programmingUpdated content highlighting the latest research on the relationship between early growth and later (adult) outcomes: the developmental origins of health and disease."

The field of antibody engineering has become a vital and integral part of making new, improved next generation therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, of which there are currently more than 300 in clinical trials across several therapeutic areas. Therapeutic antibody engineering examines all aspects of engineering monoclonal antibodies and analyses the effect that various genetic engineering approaches will have on future candidates. Chapters in the first part of the book provide an introduction to monoclonal antibodies, their discovery and development and the fundamental technologies used in their production. Following chapters cover a number of specific issues relating to different aspects of antibody engineering, including variable chain engineering, targets and mechanisms of action, classes of antibody and the use of antibody fragments, among many other topics. The last part of the book examines development issues, the interaction of human IgGs with non-human systems, and cell line development, before a conclusion looking at future issues affecting the field of therapeutic antibody engineering.
Goes beyond the standard engineering issues covered by most books and delves into structure-function relationshipsIntegration of knowledge across all areas of antibody engineering, development, and marketingDiscusses how current and future genetic engineering of cell lines will pave the way for much higher productivity

Protein folding is a process by which a protein structure assumes its functional shape of conformation, and has been the subject of research since the publication of the first software tool for protein structure prediction. Protein folding in silico approaches this issue by introducing an ab initio model that attempts to simulate as far as possible the folding process as it takes place in vivo, and attempts to construct a mechanistic model on the basis of the predictions made. The opening chapters discuss the early stage intermediate and late stage intermediate models, followed by a discussion of structural information that affects the interpretation of the folding process. The second half of the book covers a variety of topics including ligand binding site recognition, the "fuzzy oil drop" model and its use in simulation of the polypeptide chain, and misfolded proteins. The book ends with an overview of a number of other ab initio methods for protein structure predictions and some concluding remarks.
Discusses a range of ab initio models for protein structure predictionIntroduces a unique model based on experimental observationsDescribes various methods for the quantitative assessment of the presented models from the viewpoint of information theory

Insects are the most ecologically important multicellular heterotrophs in terrestrial systems. They play critical roles in ecological food webs, remain devastating agricultural and medical pests, and represent the most diverse group of eukaryotes in terms of species numbers. Their dominant role among terrestrial heterotrophs arises from a number of key physiological traits, and in particular by the developmental and evolutionary plasticity of these traits. Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Insects presents a current and comprehensive overview of how the key physiological traits of insects respond to environmental variation. It forges conceptual links from molecular biology through organismal function to population and community ecology. As with other books in the Series, the emphasis is on the unique physiological characteristics of the insects, but with applications to questions of broad relevance in physiological ecology. As an aid to new researchers on insects, it also includes introductory chapters on the basics and techniques of insect physiology ecology.

In 2005, The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) provided the first global assessment of the world's ecosystems and ecosystem services. It concluded that recent trends in ecosystem change threatened human wellbeing due to declining ecosystem services. This bleak prophecy has galvanized conservation organizations, ecologists, and economists to work toward rigorous valuations of ecosystem services at a spatial scale and with a resolution that can inform public policy.
The editors have assembled the world's leading scientists in the fields of conservation, policy analysis, and resource economics to provide the most intensive and best technical analyses of ecosystem services to date. A key idea that guides the science is that the modelling and valuation approaches being developed should use data that are readily available around the world. In addition, the book documents a toolbox of ecosystem service mapping, modeling, and valuation models that both The Nature Conservancy and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) are beginning to apply around the world as they transform conservation from a biodiversity only to a people and ecosystem services agenda. The book addresses land, freshwater, and marine systems at a variety of spatial scales and includes discussion of how to treat both climate change and cultural values when examining tradeoffs among ecosystem services.

In recent years, a number of academic and commercial software packages and databases have been developed for the analysis and screening of biological data; however, the usability of these data is compromised by so-called novel genes to which no biological function is assigned. Annotating new genes outlines an approach to the analysis of evolutionary-conserved, heart-enriched genes with unknown functions, offering a step-by-step description of the procedure from screening to validation. The book begins by offering an introduction to the databases and software available, before moving on to cover programming guidelines, including a specific case study on the use of C-It for in silico screening. The second half of the book offers a step-by-step guide to experimental validation concepts and procedures, as well as an overview of additional potential applications of this approach in the field of stem cells and tissue regeneration, before a concluding chapter summarises the concepts and theories presented.
Focuses not only on screening but also on biological validationsProvides details of databases and software (web interface) products for biologists with minimal computation skillsOffers a step-by-step outline of the procedure involved

On of two special issues of Advances in Marine Biology focusingonsponge science itfeatures comprehensive reviews of the latest studies that are advancing our understanding of the fascinating marine phylum Porifera.The selected contributors are internationally renowned researchers in their respective fields and provide a thorough overview of the state-of-the-art of sponge science

This volume will become a reference to marine biologists with interest in

benthic ecology and biotic interactions, including symbiosis

chemical and molecular ecology

systematics, phylogeny, and evolution

sponge culture and tissue engineering "

The senses can be powerful triggers for memories of our past, eliciting a range of both positive and negative emotions. The smell or taste of a long forgotten sweet can stimulate a rich emotional response connected to our childhood, or a piece of music transport us back to our adolescence. Sense memories can be linked to all the senses - sound, vision, and even touch can also trigger intense and emotional memories of our past.
In The Proust Effect, we learn about why sense memories are special, how they work in the brain, how they can enrich our daily life, and even how they can help those suffering from problems involving memory. A sense memory can be evoked by a smell, a taste, a flavor, a touch, a sound, a melody, a color or a picture, or by some other involuntary sensory stimulus. Any of these can triggers a vivid, emotional reliving of a forgotten event in the past.
Exploring the senses in thought-provoking scientific experiments and artistic projects, this fascinating book offers new insights into memory - drawn from neuroscience, the arts, and professions such as education, elderly care, health care therapy and the culinary profession.

Advances in genomics and biotechnology are enabling quantum leaps in the understanding of soybean molecular biology. The problems that face the soybean industry also are diversifying and escalating on a global scale. Designing Soybeans for 21st Century outlines current and emerging barriers in the global soybean market, principally: 1) long-term ability to sustain production to meet continued growth in demand for soybean and soybean products; 2) governmental and legislative policies; 3) global access to advances in soybean technology; and 4) customer and consumer trends in the use of soybean products. The book also addresses state-of-art steps that should help move soybeans past these market barriers as advances in genomics and genetic engineering are deployed to design soybeans and soybean products that meet the challenges of 21st century markets.

This volume of "Methods in Cell Biology" is the 3e, and provides comprehensive compendia of laboratory protocols and reviews covering all the new methods developed since 2004. This new volume on Disease Models and Chemical Screens, covers two rapidly emerging and compelling applications of the zebrafish.
* Details state-of-the art zebrafish protocols, delineating critical steps in the procedures as well as potential pitfalls
* This volume concentrates on Disease Models and Chemical Screens

Therapeutic protein drug products provides a comprehensive overview of therapeutic protein drug products, with an emphasis on formulation beginning in the laboratory, followed by manufacturing and administration in the clinic. A list of many commercial therapeutic drug products are described and include the product name, dosages, active concentration, buffer, excipients, Ph, container type and route of administration. The laboratory formulation sections focus on the most common buffers, excipients, and Ph ranges that are commonly tested in addition to systematic approaches. A brief section on biophysical and analytical analysis is also provided. Properties of therapeutic protein formulations are described and include opalescence, phase separation, color, and subvisible particles. An emphasis is placed on material and process testing to ensure success during manufacturing. The drug product manufacturing process, which includes the process of compounding to filling, is also covered. Methods of delivery in the clinic are addressed, as well as delivery strategies. Finally, a perspective on the regulatory requirements for therapeutic protein formulations is discussed.
Provides a list and description of commercially available therapeutic drug products and their formulationsA comprehensive and practical overview of protein formulation in the laboratory, manufacturing, and the clinicDiscusses recent topics including high protein concentration, phase separation, opalescence, and subvisible particles

For over thirty years Susan Wolf has been writing about moral and nonmoral values and the relation between them. This volume collects Wolf's most important essays on the topics of morality, love, and meaning, ranging from her classic essay "Moral Saints" to her most recent "The Importance of Love." Wolf's essays warn us against the common tendency to classify values in terms of a dichotomy that contrasts the personal, self-interested, or egoistic with the impersonal, altruistic or moral. On Wolf's view, this tendency ignores or distorts the significance of such values as love, beauty, and truth, and neglects the importance of meaningfulness as a dimension of the good life. These essays show us how a self-conscious recognition of the variety of values leads to new understandings of the point, the content, and the limits of morality and to new ways of thinking about happiness and well-being.

Despite the massive scale of global inequalities, until recently few political philosophers or bioethicists addressed their ethical implications. Questions of justice were thought to be primarily internal to the nation state. Over the last decade or so, there has been an explosion of interest in the philosophical issues surrounding global justice. These issues are of direct relevance to bioethics. The links between poverty and health imply that we cannot separate questions of global health from questions about fair distribution of global resources and the institutions governing the world order. Similarly, as increasing numbers of medical trials are conducted in the developing world, researchers and their sponsors have to confront the special problems of doing research in an unjust world, with corresponding obligations to correct injustice and avoid exploitation. This book presents a collection of original essays by leading thinkers in political theory, philosophy, and bioethics. They address the key issues concerning global justice and bioethics from two perspectives. The first is ideal theory, which is concerned with the social institutions that would regulate a just world. What is the relationship between human rights and the provision of health care? How, if at all, should a global order distinguish between obligations to compatriots and others? The second perspective is from non-ideal theory, which governs how people should behave in the unjust world in which we actually find ourselves. What sort of medical care should actual researchers working in impoverished countries offer their subjects? What should NGOs do in the face of cultural practices with which they deem unethical? If coordinated international action will not happen, what ought individual states to do? These questions have more than theoretical interest; their answers are of direct practical import for policymakers, researchers, advocates, NGOs, scholars, and others. This book is the first collection to comprehensively address the intersection of global justice and bioethical dilemmas.

While scholars typically view Plato's engagement with medicine as uniform and largely positive, Susan B. Levin argues that from the Gorgias through the Laws, his handling of medicine unfolds in several key phases. Further, she shows that Plato views medicine as an important rival for authority on phusis (nature) and eudaimonia (flourishing). Levin's arguments rest on careful attention both to Plato and to the Hippocratic Corpus. Levin shows that an evident but unexpressed tension involving medicine's status emerges in the Gorgias and is explored in Plato's critiques of medicine in the Symposium and Republic. In the Laws, however, this rivalry and tension dissolve. Levin addresses the question of why Plato's rivalry with medicine is put to rest while those with rhetoric and poetry continue. On her account, developments in his views of human nature, with their resulting impact on his political thought, drive Plato's striking adjustments involving medicine in the Laws. Levin's investigation of Plato is timely: for the first time in the history of bioethics, the value of ancient philosophy is receiving notable attention. Most discussions focus on Aristotle's concept of phronesis (practical wisdom); here, Levin argues that Plato has much to offer bioethics as it works to address pressing concerns about the doctor-patient tie, medical professionalism, and medicine's relationship to society.

This MIE volume provides laboratory techniques that aim to predict the structure of a protein which can have tremendous implications ranging from drug design, to cellular pathways and their dynamics, to viral entry into cells.
Expert researchers introduce the most advanced technologies and techniques in protein structure and folding
Includes techniques on tiling assays.

Published since 1953, "Advances in Virus Research" covers a diverse range of in-depth reviews providing a valuable overview of the current field of virology.
The impact factor for 2008 is 4.886, placing it 4th in the highly competitive category of virology.

* Contributions from leading authorities
* Informs and updates on all the latest developments in the field

"International Review of Cell & Molecular Biology" presents current advances and comprehensive reviews in cell biology--both plant and animal. Articles address structure and control of gene expression, nucleocytoplasmic interactions, control of cell development and differentiation, and cell transformation and growth.

* Authored by some of the foremost scientists in the field * Provides up-to-date information and directions for future research * Valuable reference material for advanced undergraduates, graduate students and professional scientists

The 2e of this classic "Guide to Protein Purification" provides a complete update to existing methods in the field, reflecting the enormous advances made in the last two decades. In particular, proteomics, mass spectrometry, and DNA technology have revolutionized the field since the first edition s publication but through all of the advancements, the purification of proteins is still an indispensable first step in understanding their function. This volume examines the most reliable, robust methods for researchers in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, genetics, pharmacology and biotechnology and sets a standard for best practices in the field. It relates how these traditional and new cutting-edge methods connect to the explosive advancements in the field. This "Guide to" gives imminently practical advice to avoid costly mistakes in choosing a method and brings in perspective from the premier researchers while presents a comprehensive overview of the field today.
Gathers top global authors from industry, medicine, and research fields across a wide variety of disciplines, including biochemistry, genetics, oncology, pharmacology, dermatology and immunology Assembles chapters on both common and less common relevant techniquesProvides robust methods as well as an analysis of the advancements in the field that, for an individual investigator, can be a demanding and time-consuming process"