MicroRNAs are involved in crucial biological processes, including developmental timing, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and stress responses. This book presents topical research in the study of microRNAs, including their potential applications in aquaporin associated pathogenesis; microRNAs as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancer; microRNAs used in regulating EMT and blood circulation metastasis of lung cancer stem cells; the biological functions of microRNAs in animals and the regulation of metabolism, ageing and lifespan by microRNAs.

Several problems in modern genome mapping analysis belong to the field of discrete optimisation on a set of all possible orders. In this book, formulations, mathematical models and algorithms for genetic/genomic mapping problem that can be formulated in TSP-like terms are proposed. Since the 1960s, Operational Research techniques have extensively been developed to support organisations in their Manpower Planning challenge -- a fundamental aspect of Human Resource Management in organisations. This book reviews the techniques and alternative approaches that have been introduced in Manpower Planning (e.g., simulation techniques), and in general, the Markov Chain Theory. Furthermore, the authors of this book propose a new class of strategies for giving the optimal inventory replenishments for each retailer. In addition, the authors demonstrate how to increase the usage of iterative methods in all possible fields by accelerating such solvers using Reconfigurable Hardware. An optimisation method for material layout of incompressible rubber components is presented as well. Other chapters in this book use a generic approach to study minimisation problems on a complete metric space, provide a novel design method in the case of an output feedback suboptimal control problem, derive Levy process-based models of jump diffusion-type for banking operations involving securitisation, capital and profitability, and investigate the optimality of the loan securitisation process that has had a prominent role to play in the sub-prime mortgage crisis (SMC).

Bacteria are a large group of unicellular micro-organisms. Most bacteria have a single circular chromosome that can range in size. DNA is organised into chromosomes and, in organisms other than bacteria, it is found only in the cell nucleus. Deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA)is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses. Their main role is the long-term storage of information. DNA is often compared to a set of blueprints or a code, since it contains the instructions needed to construct other components of cells. This book presents current research on bacterial DNA, DNA polymerase and DNA helicases.

New methods used for the detection of DNA hybridisation process, including electrochemical, optical scattering, surface plasmon resonance, nanogravimetric, and fluorimetric are described and their application in assays assessing DNA damage is discussed in this book. The analyses of damage and alterations for the DNA in solution as well as for the DNA immobilised on core-shell gold nanoparticles and solid electrodes are presented. These methods enable evaluating the degree of DNA damage caused by toxicants and can be applied to studies of the interactions of atrazine and other herbicides and pesticides with DNA.

Organic europium complexes are of considerable interest due to their sharp narrow emission spectrum and potentially high emission quantum efficiency, originated from 2D0-7F2 electronic transitions of the central ions. Therefore, organic europium complexes have well applications in organic light-emitting diodes. Furthermore, organic europium complexes also show well electrical switching characteristics in diodes, potential applications as memory devices in information storage. This book reviews the achieved progresses in organic europium complexes and their applications in organic light-emitting diodes and memory devices.

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. DNA sequencing is a common and requisite practice for molecular biologists today working in all areas of biology, including microbiology. This book aims to provide clues for DNA sequencing projects directed to unsequenced organisms in which many transcripts wait to be discovered, either coding small RNAs or genes homologue to known genes coding for protein products. This book also looks at the adoption of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to generate DNA profiles from minute biological samples, and the use of mitochondrial DNA to obtain information from old bones and the applications of Y chromosomal polymorphisms in sexual assault cases. Present research focuses on genetic markers for external visible traits and on improving the utility of poor quality samples with degraded DNA. The other direction of forensic DNA research addresses the difficulty of obtaining a DNA profile in a degraded crime stain. The third topic covered in this book is DNA chips- a microchip that holds DNA probes that form half of the DNA double helix. This book examines the development of DNA chips, as the prototype for global technology genetics.

On September 11, 2001, 2,792 people were killed in terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City. The number of victims, the condition of their remains, and the duration of the recovery effort made the identification of the victims the most difficult ever undertaken by the forensic community in this country. In response to this need, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, brought together a group of experts to provide advice and support throughout the identification effort. Called the Kinship and Data Analysis Panel (KADAP), the group made recommendations on new forensic technologies, tools, policies, and procedures to help identify those who perished in the WTC attack. This book contains the KADAP's "lessons learned," particularly regarding DNA protocols, laboratory techniques, and statistical approaches, in the DNA identification of WTC victims. It is written primarily for the Nation's forensic laboratory directors and other officials who may be responsible for organising and managing the DNA identification response to a mass fatality incident. This book discusses the incorporation of DNA identification into a mass fatality disaster plan, including how to: Establish laboratory policies and procedures, including the creation of sample collection documents. Assess the magnitude of an identification effort, and identify and acquire resources to respond.

Transposons are segments of DNA that can relocate (transpose) to different positions within the genome of a single cell. In the years since their initial discovery in 1948 by Barbara McClintock, these mobile genetic elements have come to be widely recognised as ubiquitous components of genomes representing all major branches of life; furthermore, transposons have been developed into powerful tools for molecular biology, and, in particular, funcational genomes, in wide range of organisms. More recently, transposons have been developed into a technology platform for vertebrate genetics with application areas including gene therapy, transgenesis, somatic mutagenesis (cancer research), and germ line mutagenesis for gene discovery. This book presents new and important research from around the world in this field.

As a major defence against environmental damage to cells DNA repair is present in all organisms including bacteria, yeast, drosophila, fish, amphibians, rodents and humans. DNA repair is involved in processes that minimise cell killing, mutations, replication errors, persistence of DNA damage and genomic instability. Abnormalities in these processes have been implicated in cancer and ageing. This book presents leading-edge research from around the world in this frontal field.

The advancement of DNA sequencing technologies has resulted in a movement away from the single gene, and towards a whole genome focus. Previously DNA sequencing was expensive, slow and tedious, but new technologies have been developed that facilitate the relatively cheap and rapid generation of raw sequence from whole bacterial genomes. The sequencing of the human genome was also accelerated in the final phases as a result of new sequencing methods. However, generating the raw sequence is just the start, and tools are required to convert it into useful biological knowledge. This book highlights the new advances in DNA sequencing, and summarises the process of genome and protein annotation. The book also describes the tools required to achieve this, and provides examples within the context of specific genomes.

Microarray analysis is a highly efficient tool for assessing the expression of a large number of genes simultaneously, and offers a new means to classify cancer and other diseases. Gene expression profiling can also be used to predict clinical outcome and response to specific therapeutic agents. This survey spans recent applications of microarrays in clinical medicine, covering malignant disease including acute leukaemias, lymphoid malignancies and breast cancer, together with diabetes and heart disease. Investigators in oncology, pharmacology and related clinical sciences, as well as basic scientists, will value this review of a promising new diagnostic and prognostic technology.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a chemical found primarily in the nucleus of cells. DNA is a long, spiralling molecule that orchestrates the cell's daily operations and provides the genetic blueprint for the physical characteristics of all living organisms. It is the molecule that encodes genetic information in the nucleus of cells. It determines the structure, function and behaviour of the cell. DNA is made up of two complementary strands, the strands intertwine like a spiral staircase to form a structure called a double helix. Subunits, called bases, are the rungs of the staircase. The four nucleotides in DNA contain the bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). This book presents leading-edge research in this dynamic field.

Gene regulation is an essential process in the development and maintenance of a healthy body, and as such, is a central focus in both basic science and medical research. "Gene Regulation, Fifth Edition" provides the student with a clear, up-to-date description of gene regulation in eukaryotes, distilling the vast and complex primary literature into a concise overview. For this edition, in addition to extensive updating of existing material, sections on large-scale methodologies have been expanded, and a new section included on regulation by small interfering RNAs. More detail has been added on the role of multi-protein complexes in transcriptional activation, and the discussion of the regulation of transcription factor activity by specific modifications, to include acetylation and ubiquitination, as well as phosphorylation. The final chapter on gene regulation and human disease now includes additional novel examples, such as RNA editing in motor neurone disease, role of the transcriptional co-activator CBP in Alzheimer's disease and PML-RAR involvement in acute promyelocytic leukaemia. Students in undergraduate courses will find this book essential reading.

James Watson, a discoverer of the structure of DNA, described it as "the most golden of molecules," the true chemical for life. Indeed, it is the essential component from which our genes are made. In it is encoded the genetic language that controls our destinies. Astonishingly powerful, just six millionths of a gram of DNA carries as much information as ten volumes of the Oxford English Dictionary.

The "Book of Man," is the term used by Walter Bodmer and Robin McKie for the DNA that is the instruction set according to which all humans are made. At conception, a single cell--the fertilized egg--is produced, and it is this one cell that has the potential to form a new and unique individual under the guidance of the DNA within its nucleus. The human body is made up of a hundred million million cells of many different sorts, and all contain the inherited information that comes from that first, single cell created at fertilization. Bodmer and McKie assert that when we learn how to read DNA's pages and chapters we will obtain the information relevant to the understanding of most diseases, individual differences in behavior, and a new awareness of our own history and evolution. The Book of Man explores how genetic information is now being read and interpreted by focusing on biology's most ambitious undertaking to date--the Human Genome Project, an attempt to uncover all the 100,000 genes that control our development and detail the DNA alphabet of each. The authors go on to wrestle with the moral and ethical issues of modern genetics, making a case for a rational appraisal of genetic engineering and for the public to become sufficiently "DNA literate" in order to appreciate the crucial role it plays in our lives.

From Gregor Mendel's discovery of the laws of inheritance to the high-tech, crime-stopping power of forensics science and the fascinating but sometimes troublesome implications of the latest science of genetic engineering, The Book of Man brilliantly explores and explains the quest that is changing our understanding of what it means to be a human being.

Exome and genome sequencing are revolutionizing medical research and diagnostics, but the computational analysis of the data has become an extremely heterogeneous and often challenging area of bioinformatics. Computational Exome and Genome Analysis provides a practical introduction to all of the major areas in the field, enabling readers to develop a comprehensive understanding of the sequencing process and the entire computational analysis pipeline.

Phylogenomics is a rapidly growing field of study concerned with using genome-wide data-usually in the form of DNA sequence loci-to infer the evolution of genes, genomes, and the Tree of Life. Accordingly, this discipline connects many areas in biology including molecular and genomic evolution, systems biology, molecular systematics, phylogeography, conservation genetics, DNA barcoding, and others. With the advent of Next Generation Sequencing in addition to advances in computer hardware and software over the past decade, researchers can now generate unparalleled phylogenomic datasets that are helping to illuminate many areas in the life sciences. This book is an introduction to the principles and practices of gathering these data. Phylogenomic Data Acquisition: Principles and Practice is intended for a broad cross-section of biologists and anyone else interested in learning how to obtain phylogenomic data using the latest methods.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Describing Biomolecular Structure Computational and Visualization Techniques for Structural Bioinformatics Using Chimera shows how to perform computations with Python scripts in the Chimera environment. It focuses on the three core areas needed to study structural bioinformatics: biochemistry, mathematics, and computation. Understand Important Concepts of Structural Bioinformatics The book covers topics that deal primarily with protein structure and includes many exercises that are grounded in biological problems at the molecular level. The text encourages mathematical analysis by providing a firm foundation for computations. It analyzes numerous Python scripts for the Chimera environment, with the scripts and other material available on a supplementary website. Build Python Scripts to Extend the Capabilities of Chimera Through more than 60 exercises that involve the development of Python scripts, the book gives you concrete guidance on using the scripting capabilities of Chimera. You'll gain experience in solving real problems as well as understand the various applications of linear algebra. You can also use the scripts as starting points for the development of similar applications and use classes from the StructBio toolkit for computations, such as structure overlap, data plotting, scenographics, and display of residue networks. Print Versions of this book also include access to the ebook version.

This concise, self-contained, and cohesive book focuses on commonly used and recently developed methods for designing and analyzing high-throughput screening (HTS) experiments from a statistically sound basis. Combining ideas from biology, computing, and statistics, the author explains experimental designs and analytic methods that are amenable to rigorous analysis and interpretation of RNAi HTS experiments. The opening chapters are carefully presented to be accessible both to biologists with training only in basic statistics and to computational scientists and statisticians with basic biological knowledge. Biologists will see how new experiment designs and rudimentary data-handling strategies for RNAi HTS experiments can improve their results, whereas analysts will learn how to apply recently developed statistical methods to interpret HTS experiments.

Our genome is the blueprint for our existence: it encodes all the information we need to develop from a single cell into a hugely complicated functional organism. Yet it is more than a static information store: our genome is a dynamic, tightly-regulated collection of genes, which switch on and off in many combinations to give the variety of cells from which our bodies are formed. But how do we identify the genes that make up our genome? How do we determine their function? And how do different genes form the regulatory networks that direct the processes of life? Introduction to Genomics is the most up-to-date and complete textbook for students approaching the subject for the first time. Lesk's engaging writing style brings a narrative to a disparate field of study and offers a fascinating insight into what can be revealed from the study of genomes. The book covers: the similarities and differences between organisms; how different organisms evolved; how the genome is constructed and how it operates; and what our understanding of genomics means in terms of our future health and wellbeing. The Online Resource Centre accompanying Introduction to Genomics features: For students: - Extensive and imaginative weblems (web-based problems) for each chapter designed to give you practice with the tools required for further study and research in the field - Hints and answers to end-of-chapter problems and exercises support your self-directed learning - Guided tour of websites and major archival databanks in genomics offer a wealth of resources to springboard your own research - Journal club: links to related research articles on topics covered in the book are paired with engaging questions to improve your interpretation of the primary literature - Rotating figures allow you to visualize complex structures For registered adopters: - Downloadable figures from the book.

Molecular biologist Elizabeth Blackburn--one of Time magazine's 100 "Most Influential People in the World" in 2007--made headlines in 2004 when she was dismissed from the President's Council on Bioethics after objecting to the council's call for a moratorium on stem cell research and protesting the suppression of relevant scientific evidence in its final report. But it is Blackburn's groundbreaking work on telomeric DNA, which launched the field of telomere research, that will have the more profound and long-lasting effect on science and society. In this compelling biography, Catherine Brady tells the story of Elizabeth Blackburn's life and work and the emergence of a new field of scientific research on the specialized ends of chromosomes and the enzyme, telomerase, that extends them. In the early stages of telomere research, telomerase, heralded as a potential cure for cancer and diseases related to aging, attracted the voracious interest of biotech companies. The surrounding hype succeeded in confusing the role of telemorase in extending the life of a cell with a mechanism that might extend the lifespan of an entire organism. In Brady's hands, Blackburn's story reveals much about the tension between pure and applied science, the politicking that makes research science such a competitive field, and the resourceful opportunism that characterizes the best scientific thinking. Brady describes the science accessibly and compellingly. She explores Blackburn's struggle to break down barriers in an elite, male-dominated profession, her role as a mentor to other women scientists (many of whom have made their mark in telomere research), and the collaborative nature of scientific work. This book gives us a vivid portrait of an exceptional woman and a new understanding of the combination of curiosity, imaginative speculation, and aesthetic delight that powers scientific discovery.Catherine Brady is Assistant Professor in the MFA in Writing Program at the University of San Francisco. She is the author of two collections of short stories, The End of the Class War and Curled in the Bed of Love (a winner of the 2002 Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction).

When genomic research first came on the scene, much of the biomedical research community viewed it as a limited venture with limited potential. We now know that such an assessment was both highly premature and wonderfully inaccurate. In the last ten years, we've witnessed such remarkable acceleration in the merger of basic and applied genomic research that, among other things, genomic research is now thought of as being intrinsic to current drug research. Through rigorous comparative analysis, the genomes of cold-blooded vertebrate, avian, and other mammalian species are providing a deeper understanding of the human genome. Moreover, genomic sequences, which are becoming available for several species have proven to be highly relevant to drug research with regard to a number of otherwise intractable conditions. Rather than offering a comprehensive volume covering every aspect of comparative genomics, Comparative Genomics: Basic and Applied Research embodies the diverse interests of prominent researchers in the field. Compiling first hand descriptions of their pioneering work, the text focuses on commonalities and synergies across the broad field of comparative genomics. Among its many topics it covers- * Revolutionary advances in DNA-sequencing technology * Bold new approaches to the organization and analysis of large phylogenetic data sets * The impact of comparative genomics on our understanding of evolution * Efforts toward developing novel antimicrobial drugs, through the use of bacterial pathogen genomes Ultimately, future breakthroughs in comparative genomics will depend upon the continued interaction and interdependency of applied and basic research. This seminal volume demonstrates both the means and the fruits of that cooperation, and in doing so defines and lays the groundwork for continued progress.

Scientists can use molecular profiling microarrays to compare healthy cells with their diseased counterparts and develop gene-specific treatments. Finding the best way to interpret original profiling data into accurate trends, however, continues to drive the development of normalization algorithms and software tools. Methods in Microarray Normalization compiles the most useful and novel techniques for the first time into a single, organized source. Experts in the field provide a diverse view of the mathematical processes that are important in normalizing data and avoiding inherent systematic biases. They also review useful software, including discussions on key algorithms, comparative data, and download locations. The book discusses the use of early normalization techniques for new profiling methods and includes strategies for assessing the utility of various normalization algorithms. It presents the latest microarray innovations from companies such as Agilent, Affymetrix, and GeneGo as well as new normalization methods for protein and CGH arrays, many of which are applicable for antibody, microRNA, methylation, and siRNA arrays. Methods in Microarray Normalization provides scientists with a complete resource on the most effective tools available for maximizing microarray data in biochemical research. Daniel E. Levy, editor of the Drug Discovery Series, is the founder of DEL BioPharma, a consulting service for drug discovery programs. He also maintains a blog that explores organic chemistry.

Despite progress in genetic research, knowledge about the exact structure of the chromosome continues to provide a challenge. Much of that challenge lies with the need for improved tools and methods that researchers require to perform novel analyses beyond the DNA level. Fortunately, rapid advances in nanotechnology, are now being employed to examine, analyze, and manipulate biological material at the chromosome level. Chromosome Nanoscience and Technology reviews these advances and their contribution to trends and applications in chromosome research. In addition to offering a guide to current progress, this book serves as the culminating report on a Japanese nanobiology project in the field of chromosome science begun in 2000. The project brought together researchers from disparate backgrounds that included molecular biology, biochemistry, protein science, immunology, genetics, anatomy, semiconductor production, polymer chemistry, material science, microscopy, and informatics, among others. Looking at chromosomes as nanomaterials, their contributions cover: Devices for chromosome handling, which includes the construction and application of nano and micro devices used for dissecting, analyzing, and manipulating chromosomes Visualization of chromosomes at nano and micro levels, which discusses methods for revealing nano-level folding of chromatin fibers Chromosomes as nanomaterials, which presents a new chromosome protein framework based on the cataloging of over 200 chromosomal proteins Informatics of chromosome images, which examines a new chromosome image database system for animals and plants This project, initiated a few years ago, now lays the groundwork for those scientists looking to perform further research in chromosome science. It provides them with starting points, as well as useful applications and methodology to assist in the long quest to gain a deepened understanding of life itself.

An important problem in computational biology is identifying short DNA sequences (mathematically, 'words') associated to a biological function. One approach consists in determining whether a particular word is simply random or is of statistical significance, for example, because of its frequency or location. This book introduces the mathematical and statistical ideas used in solving this so-called exceptional word problem. It begins with a detailed description of the principal models used in sequence analysis: Markovian models are central here and capture compositional information on the sequence being analysed. There follows an introduction to several statistical methods that are used for finding exceptional words with respect to the model used. The second half of the book is illustrated with numerous examples provided from the analysis of bacterial genomes, making this a practical guide for users facing a real situation and needing to make an adequate procedure choice.

Discusses the impact of DNA methylation in human health and disease Includes concepts, experimental models, and clinical uses of demethylating agents Presents the most current research on the impact of DNA methylation in cancer Features the work of the foremost leaders in the field Understanding the complex roles of DNA methylation is currently an active field of research. DNA Methylation: Approaches, Methods, and Applications presents the most current research on the impact of DNA methylation in human disease, particularly cancer. Written by leaders in the field, this state-of-art reference delineates the best techniques to use when addressing questions concerning the cytocine methylation status of genomic DNA. It includes concepts, experimental models, and clinical uses of demethylating agents. The book provides a balance between articles clarifying methodological details and more general review chapters that offer broad biological perspectives on DNA methylation.