Why is life the way it is? Bacteria evolved into complex life just once in four billion years of life on earth-and all complex life shares many strange properties, from sex to ageing and death. If life evolved on other planets, would it be the same or completely different? In The Vital Question, Nick Lane radically reframes evolutionary history, putting forward a cogent solution to conundrums that have troubled scientists for decades. The answer, he argues, lies in energy: how all life on Earth lives off a voltage with the strength of a bolt of lightning. In unravelling these scientific enigmas, making sense of life's quirks, Lane's explanation provides a solution to life's vital questions: why are we as we are, and why are we here at all? This is ground-breaking science in an accessible form, in the tradition of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species, Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene, and Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel.

This book introduces advanced semantic web technologies, illustrating their utility and highlighting their implementation in biological, medical, and clinical scenarios. It covers topics ranging from database, ontology, and visualization to semantic web services and workflows. The volume also details the factors impacting on the establishment of the semantic web in life science and the legal challenges that will impact on its proliferation.

This clear, concise Complete Revision & Practice book from CGP is a perfect way to prepare for the Edexcel A A-Level Biology exams - it covers every topic from both years of the course. It's fully up-to-date for the new exam specifications for 2015 and beyond, with straightforward explanations, helpful examples and full-colour diagrams throughout. Practice questions and exam-style questions (with answers) are included for every topic, and the book is rounded off with a section of in-depth advice on Practical Skills. And finally, a free Online Edition of the whole book is included - just use the code printed inside the book to access it on your PC, Mac or tablet!

Mammalian cells are to a large extent controlled by the environment. Dif- fusible factors (growth factors, cytokines, and hormones) released by oth- er cells in the body bind to and activate receptors localized at the cell sur- face. In the case of the fibroblast growth factor receptor, there seems to be receptors both at the plasma membrane and in the nucleus. Cellular recep- tors control growth, apoptosis, immune function, differentiation, develop- and upon dysregulation, cancer progression and metastasis. Upon li- ment, gand binding, most receptors are internalized. However, the mechanisms of endocytosis are diverse, and receptors are taken into cells from different membrane microdomains. Activation of receptors results in two important interconnected processes, namely, signal transduction and endocytosis. In- terestingly, signal transduction controls endocytosis and endocytosis con- trols signalling. In both processes sequential formation of transient protein machineries is crucial. Currently, characterization of such complex ma- chineries is advancing rapidly. It has recently become appreciated that sev- eral post-translational modifications directly control the affinity of pro- tein-protein interactions. This volume of Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology focuses on the recent understanding of signalling from in- ternalized activated growth factor receptors. This includes information on pathways by which the rate and specificity of endocytosis and intracellular sorting are controlled. It further includes information on how specialized signalling and trafficking platforms are formed at the plasma membrane and on intracellular vesicles.

vi on geometric probability is included, students can be expected to create a few simple programs like those shown, but for other geometries. I am indebted to Tom Hare for critical reviews of the material and an endless enthusiasm to debate and derive stereological relationships; to John Matzka at Plenum Press for patiently instructing me in the intricacies of typesetting; to Chris Russ for helping to program many of these measurement techniques; and especially to Helen Adams, both for her patience with my creative fever to write yet another book, and for pointing out that the title, which I had intended to contrast to "theoretical stereology," can also be understood as the antonym of "impractical stereology." John C. Russ Raleigh, NC July, 1986 Chapter 1: Statistics 1 Accuracy and precision 1 The mean and standard deviation 5 Distributions 7 Comparison 13 Correlation 18 Nonlinear fitting 19 Chapter 2: Image Types 23 Planar sections 23 Projected images 25 Finite sections 28 Space-filling structures and dispersed phases 29 Types of images and contrast mechanisms 31 Sampling 32 Chapter 3: Manual Methods 35 Volume fraction 35 Surface density 38 Contiguity 41 Mean intercept length 42 Line density 43 Grain size determination 55 Curvature 48 Reticles to aid counting 49 Magnification and units 51 Chapter4: Size Distributions 53 Intercept length in spheres 53 Nonspherical shapes 57 Corrections for finite section thickness 59 Lamellae 61 Measurement of profile size 62 Nonspherical particles 69 vii Contents viii Chapter 5: Computer Metlwds 73

This book demonstrates the usefulness of tools from statistical mechanics for biology. It includes the new tendencies in topics like membranes, vesicles, microtubules, molecular motors, DNA, protein folding, phase transitions in biological systems, evolution, population dynamics, neural systems and biological oscillators, with special emphasis on the importance of statistical mechanics in their development. The book addresses researchers and graduate students.

This book provides the readers with a timely guide to the application of biomimetic principles in architecture and engineering design. As a result of a combined effort by two internationally recognized authorities, the biologist Werner Nachtigall and the architect Goeran Pohl, the book describes the principles which can be used to compare nature and technology, and at the same time it presents detailed explanations and examples showing how biology can be used as a source of inspiration and "translated" in building and architectural solutions (biomimicry). Even though nature cannot be directly copied, the living world can provide architects and engineers with a wealth of analogues and inspirations for their own creative designs. But how can analysis of natural entities give rise to advanced and sustainable design? By reporting on the latest bionic design methods and using extensive artwork, the book guides readers through the field of nature-inspired architecture, offering an extraordinary resource for professional architects, engineers, designers and urban planners, as well as for university teachers, researchers and students. Natural evolution is seen throughout the book as a powerful resource that can serve architecture and design by providing innovative, optimal and sustainable solutions.

By the year 2050, the world's population is expected to reach nine billion. To feed and sustain this projected population, world food production must increase by at least 50 percent on much of the same land that we farm today. To meet this staggering challenge, scientists must develop the technology required to achieve an "evergreen" revolution -- one that increases crop productivity without degrading natural resources. With 30 percent new material, the updated and revised third edition of Growth and Mineral Nutrition of Field Crops covers all aspects of crop growth and mineral nutrition that contribute to sustainable, high-yield agriculture. Bringing together international scientific knowledge of crop production and the impacts of agriculture on the environment, this book: * Includes two new chapters on remediation of heavy-metal contaminated soils and cover crops * Covers theoretical and practical aspects of mineral nutrition of field crops * Provides recommendations for judicious use of fertilizers, which will reduce cost of crop production and enhance high crop yields without risking environmental pollution * Provides growth patterns for annual crops and forages * Includes a handful of color pictures of nutrient deficiencies for easy diagnostic purposes To make the book as practical as possible, each chapter is supported by experimental results and extensive references. A large number of figures and tables are also included to save readers time when researching. The overall emphasis of this reference is on the soil's ability to sustain high crop yields and a healthy human population.

This three-volume set of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms: Parenteral Medications is an authoritative, comprehensive reference work on the formulation and manufacture of parenteral dosage forms, effectively balancing theoretical considerations with the practical aspects of their development. As such, it is recommended for scientists and engineers in the pharmaceutical industry and academia, and will also serve as an excellent reference and training tool for regulatory scientists and quality assurance professionals.

First published in 1984 (as two volumes) and then last revised in 1993 (when it grew to three volumes), this latest revision will address the plethora of changes in the science and considerable advances in the technology associated with these products and routes of administration. The third edition of this book maintains the features that made the last edition so popular but comprises several brand new chapters, revisions to all other chapters, as well as high quality illustrations.

Volume one presents:

A historical perspective of injectable drug therapy, common routes of administration, and biopharmaceutics of NCEs and NBEs.

An in-depth discussion on the preformulation and formulation of small and large molecules, including ophthalmic dosage forms.

A presentation of parenteral primary packaging options - glass and plastic containers, as well as elastomeric closures.

A definitive chapter on container-closure integrity.

New chapters on solubility and solubilization, formulation of depot delivery systems and biophysical/biochemical characterization of proteins.

Volume two presents:

Chapters on aseptic facility design, environmental monitoring, and cleanroom operations.

A comprehensive chapter on pharmaceutical water systems.

A discussion of quality attributes of sterile dosage forms, including particulate matter, endotoxin, and sterility testing.

A detailed chapter on processing of parenteral drug products (SVPs and LVPs).

Presentations on widely used sterilization technologies steam, gas / chemical, radiation, filtration and dry heat.

An in-depth chapter on lyophilization.

Volume three presents:

An in-depth discussion of regulatory requirements, quality assurance, risk assessment and mitigation, and extractables/leachables.

Specific chapters on parenteral administrations devices, injection site pain assessment, and parenteral product specifications and stability testing.

Forward-thinking discussions on the future of parenteral product manufacturing, and siRNA delivery systems.

New chapters covering recent developments in the areas of visual inspection, quality by design (QbD), process analytical technology (PAT) and rapid microbiological methods (RMM ), and validation of drug product manufacturing process.

With businesses becoming ever more competitive, marketing strategies need to be more precise and performance oriented. Companies are investing considerably in analytical infrastructure for marketing. This new volume, Marketing Analytics: A Machine Learning Approach, enlightens readers on the application of analytics in marketing and the process of analytics, providing a foundation on the concepts and algorithms of machine learning and statistics. The book simplifies analytics for businesses and explains its uses in different aspects of marketing in a way that even marketers with no prior analytics experience will find it easy to follow, giving them to tools to make better business decisions. This volume gives a comprehensive overview of marketing analytics, incorporating machine learning methods of data analysis that automates analytical model building. The volume covers the important aspects of marketing analytics, including segmentation and targeting analysis, statistics for marketing, marketing metrics, consumer buying behavior, neuromarketing techniques for consumer analytics, new product development, forecasting sales and price, web and social media analytics, and much more. This well-organized and straight-forward volume will be valuable for marketers, managers, decision makers, and research scholars, and faculty in business marketing and information technology and would also be suitable for classroom use.

Explore the past, present, and future of cancer cytogenetics In Abnormal Chromosomes: The Past, Present, and Future of Cancer Cytogenetics, globally renowned researchers Drs. Sverre Heim and Felix Mitelman deliver a state-of-the-art review of how cancer cytogenetic analyses have contributed to an improved understanding of tumorigenesis as well as to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. The book also discusses how cytogenetics - the study of chromosomes - meets, interacts with, and cross-fertilizes other investigative technologies, including molecular somatic cell genetics. The book provides an impetus to think more deeply about the role chromosomes, and their abnormalities, play in health and disease, especially in neoplastic disorders. From which origins did cytogenetics develop? How did the finding of acquired chromosomal abnormalities in cells of leukemias and solid tumors influence our understanding of cancer as a biological process? How was information of this nature put to good use in the clinical management of cancer patients? Abnormal Chromosomes: The Past, Present, and Future of Cancer Cytogenetics offers readers: A thorough introduction to ancient theories of disease, the advent of cellular pathology, and how a scientific interest in chromosomes developed Comprehensive exploration of the conceptual importance of Theodor Boveri and his somatic mutation theory of cancer A detailed chronological resume of cancer cytogenetic discoveries during the 20th century In-depth discussions of the role of chromosome abnormalities, oncogenes, and tumor suppressor genes in leukemias, lymphomas, and solid tumors, together with a survey of what chromosome analyses have revealed about the clonal evolution of neoplastic cell populations A discussion of the importance of pathogenetic classifications of neoplastic diseases, the role chromosome abnormalities play in this context, and which technological breakthroughs can be expected in chromosome-oriented cancer research Abnormal Chromosomes: The Past, Present, and Future of Cancer Cytogenetics was written for everyone with a scientific or clinical interest in cancer, especially how acquired chromosome abnormalities lead to neoplastic transformation. The book teaches how cytogenetic analyses contribute to a better understanding of tumorigenesis, but also how the finding of specific chromosome aberrations can be crucial for the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of cancer patients.

Exam Board: SQA Level: Higher Subject: Biology First Teaching: 2014, First Exam: 2015 Masses of practice questions for every topic on the curriculum. Essential extra questions for every topic on the curriculum, to reinforce learning and build exam confidence. It can be used either alongside the N5 Biology Student Book or as a flexible standalone resource - for homework, independent study or exam practice. Included in this book: Questions for every topic on the curriculum, with more of the tricky ones Example answers with workings-out help explain difficult concepts Hints and tips throughout give practical advice about the different kinds of question Answers can be downloaded from www.collins.co.uk/pages/scottish-curriculum-free-resources

This easy-to-follow manual describes tested procedures used to prepare biological samples for scanning and transmission electron microscopy, as well as methods for cytochemistry, immunocytochemistry, and scientific photography. The work is structured to clearly define testing objectives, necessary materials, procedural steps, and expected results; a list of references and trouble shooting techniques round out the text.

Preclinical Drug Development, Second Edition discusses the broad and complicated realm of preclinical drug development. Topics range from assessment of pharmacology and toxicology to industry trends and regulatory expectations to requirements that support clinical trials. Highlights of the Second Edition include: Pharmacokinetics Modeling and simulation Formulation and routes of administration Toxicity evaluations The assessment of drug absorption and metabolism Interspecies scaling Lead molecule selection and optimization via profiling Screening using in silico and in vitro toxicity evaluations The book also includes case studies on preclinical pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling and simulation in drug development, a review of ICH preclinical guidelines, and experimental methods used to study membrane drug transport and metabolism. This guide is a fundamental resource for medicinal chemists, biologists, and other specialists in the drug development sciences.

Stephen J. Gould s greatest contribution to science is a revised version of the theory of evolution which offers today a useful framework for understanding progress in many evolutionary fields. His intuitions about the conjunction of evolution and development, the role of ecological factors in speciation, the multi-level interpretation of the units of selection, and the interplay between functional pressures and constraints all represent fruitful lines of experimental research. His opposition to the progressive representations of evolution, the gene-centered view of natural history, or the adaptationist just-so stories has also left its mark on current biology.

In May 2012, at the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti in Venice, an international panel of scientists and philosophers discussed Stephen J. Gould s legacy, ten years after his death. This book presents a selection of those contributions, chosen for their interest and importance. A broad range of themes are covered: Gould s contribution to evolutionary theory, including the concept of punctuated equilibria and the importance of his pluralism; the Gouldian view of genome and development; Gould s legacy in anthropology; and, finally, the significance of his thought for the human sciences.

This book provides a fascinating appraisal of the cultural legacy of one of the world s greatest popular writers in the life sciences. This is the first time that scientists including some of Gould s personal friends and co-authors of papers of momentous importance such as Niles Eldredge have come together to strike a balanced view of Gould's intellectual heritage."

The first book devoted exclusively to a highly popular, relatively new detection technique Charged Aerosol Detection for Liquid Chromatography and Related Separation Techniques presents a comprehensive review of CAD theory, describes its advantages and limitations, and offers extremely well-informed recommendations for its practical use. Using numerous real-world examples based on contributors professional experiences, it provides priceless insights into the actual and potential applications of CAD across a wide range of industries. Charged aerosol detection can be combined with a variety of separation techniques and in numerous configurations. While it has been widely adapted for an array of industrial and research applications with great success, it is still a relatively new technique, and its fundamental performance characteristics are not yet fully understood. This book is intended as a tool for scientists seeking to identify the most effective and efficient uses of charged aerosol detection for a given application. Moving naturally from basic to advanced topics, the author relates fundamental principles, practical uses, and applications across a range of industrial settings, including pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, biotech, and more. * Offers timely, authoritative coverage of the theory, experimental techniques, and end-user applications of charged aerosol detection * Includes contributions from experts from various fields of applications who explore CAD s advantages over traditional HPLC techniques, as well its limitations * Provides a current theoretical and practical understanding of CAD, derived from authorities on aerosol technology and separation sciences * Features numerous real-world examples that help relate fundamental properties and general operational variables of CAD to its performance in a variety of conditions Charged Aerosol Detection for Liquid Chromatography and Related Separation Techniques is a valuable resource for scientists who use chromatographic techniques in academic research and across an array of industrial settings, including the biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, biofuel, chemical, environmental, and food and beverage industries, among others.