Over the past three decades, the philosophy of biology has emerged from the shadow of the philosophy of physics to become a respectable and thriving philosophical subdiscipline. The authors take a fresh look at the life sciences and the philosophy of biology from a strictly realist and emergentist-naturalist perspective. They outline a unified and science-oriented philosophical framework that enables the clarification of many foundational and philosophical issues in biology. This book will be of interest both to life scientists and philosophers.

This updated book reflects improvements in a variety of techniques used to study the aptamer field. Beginning with a section on selection procedures, the volume continues with methods to characterize aptamers' interaction and structural properties by biophysical approaches, as well as a variety of applications that have been adapted to the aptamer compound class. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, Nucleic Acid Aptamers: Selection, Characterization, and Application, Second Edition serves as an ideal guide for researchers aiming to further our understanding of aptamer biology and more.

Outlines the basics of nutrition for healthcare professionals. Directed towards an international audience; written from the holistic perspective. There has been a definite shift in our perception and understanding of foods and diet. More attention is being given towards how we grow and cultivate food sources whilst being mindful about the environmental impact this may have - this book is timely, the medical community is now giving due importance to dietary content.

Research in to membrane transport has advanced rapidly in recent years, following the availability of new biophysical techniques, the integration of structural and molecular approaches, and developments in molecular genomics. With an expanding population, agricultural production is pushed increasingly into marginal areas, promoting interest in the genetic engineering of crop species to cope with these conditions. Membrane Transport in Plants provides on overview of our current understanding of plant membrane transport in the light of recent developments. The volume is directed at researchers and professionals in plant cell biology, biochemistry and physiology.

The first "Big History" written from the perspective of a biologist Summarizes multiple perspectives of history Documents the unique conditions for the emergence of life Speculates on the future

Maximizing the potential of RNA interference in functional genomics - as well as in the development of therapeutics - continues to be at the forefront of biomedical research. Unlike journal articles, Gene Silencing by RNA Interference: Technology and Application combines essential background to the RNAi field with practical techniques designed by renowned researchers to provide the most diverse and in-depth examination of the subject yet. This book describes methods and protocols for gene silencing and RNA interference. Each chapter provides necessary background to the subject and then gives detailed methods in easy-to-follow steps, along with troubleshooting hints and tips. Following a general and historical introduction, chapters two through eight focus on technical details of the various methods of siRNA design, chemical and enzymatic production, plasmid- and virus-mediated intracellular expression, and other RNAi tools. Chapter nine discusses the exogenous delivery of siRNAs into cells, and the final chapters of the book detail the application of RNAi to dissect gene function in a number of biological systems, including cell-free systems, cultured cells, and whole organisms. From the design and production of RNAi tools to their applications, Gene Silencing by RNA Interference: Technology and Application is the first to present the entire spectrum of activity, design, production, and delivery of RNAi reagents, providing a welcome guide for both academic and commercial use.

Most medical treatments have been designed for the "average patient." As a result of this "one-size-fits-all-approach," treatments can be very successful for some patients but not for others. This is changing with the emergence of precision medicine, an innovative approach to disease prevention and treatment that takes into account individual differences in people's genes, environments, and lifestyles. Precision medicine gives clinicians tools to better understand the complex mechanisms underlying a patient's health, disease, or condition, and to better predict which treatments will be most effective. Precision or personalized medicine in cancer treatment was once a buzzword, but it is finally becoming a reality with recent advances in imaging, genetic, and biological sciences. The importance of interpatient and intratumor variability has long been recognized, but realistic opportunities to take these into account in cancer care have emerged only recently. Innovations in patient characterization through genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have opened new avenues to personalize cancer treatment in ways that were not possible before. Furthermore, advances in quantitative assessment of therapeutic response, as provided by functional and molecular imaging, have been critical in the implementation of precision medicine paradigm in radiation oncology. This book will be a comprehensive review of science and technology making precision medicine possible for radiation oncology, current examples and future direction.

First volume selling primarily in the United States, push for more global promotion. "non-invasivel" related healing modalities and environmental medicine are both very hot topics. There are not any existing books with this dual focus that have an accompanying successful volume on nutrition and integrative medicine.

Topical and transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDs) have several advantages over traditional drug delivery methods, as they can be less invasive, more sanitary, more cost-effective, and may result in better patient compliance. TDDs play a significant role in therapeutics with a variety of preparations and approaches designed by expert formulation scientists. This volume integrates a wide variety of case studies, research, and theories to reveal their diversity and capture the novel approaches of transdermal and topical drug delivery employed by developers and content experts in the field. It provides an abundance of important information and state-of-the-art research on topical and transdermal drug delivery systems and addresses the basics of drug delivery systems, strategies to enhance permeation across membranes, and formulation and evaluation of diverse dosage forms. The volume presents an evaluation of the pros and cons of conventional drug delivery systems against TDDs and discusses the nuances of micro- and nano-systems in TDDs. The extraordinary packages of nano systems (vesicular systems, polymeric nanoparticles, nanoemulsion and dendrimers) are broadly discussed, and their applications are reviewed through a transdermal route. The book looks at TDDs and the main nanoparticles used in skin diseases and lesions of the aging, such as psoriasis, vitiligo, cancer, lesions of the aging and others. Chapters also discuss polymeric micelles in topical and transdermal delivery; microneedles; emulsion, nanoemulsion and microemulsion; TDDs in pulmonary drug delivery systems; nanoencapsulated nasal drug delivery systems; skin sensitivity and irritation testing for transposing transdermal drug delivery systems; and regulatory aspects of drug development for dermal products. Topical and Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems: Applications and Prospects will be a valuable resource for pharmaceutical scientists and researchers, industry professionals, and academicians and students of the pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences.

Law and Evidence: A Primer for Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Legal Studies, Third Edition introduces the complex topic of evidence law in a straightforward and accessible manner. The use and function of evidence in both criminal and civil cases is examined to offer a complete understanding of how evidence principles play out in the real world of litigation and advocacy. This revised Third Edition includes new discussions of rules and case law analysis, forensic cases, and evidentiary software programs. Key Features: Every chapter contains new legal authority that apples to traditional legal principles relevant to evidence law Offers full coverage of evidentiary codes and statutes Provides practical forms, checklists, and additional tools throughout for use by current and future practitioners Course ancillaries including PowerPointTM lecture slides and an Instructor's Manual with Test Bank are available with qualified course adoption.

Providing complete, step-by-step coverage of the 2008 Edexcel GCE Biology specification, this is the official Student Book for the concept-led approach to the specification. Written by experienced examiners, it offers students motivating and relevant content to improve exam performance and ensure students fulfil their full potential. Allows for regular testing and exam preparation with real Edexcel past questions, provided in the 'Examzone' sections. Supports independent learning through a range of additional resources provided on the ActiveBook CD-ROM, included FREE in the back of each book. Helps students build a wide range of skills, including data analysis, critical evaluation of information, communication and collaborative work. Gives students an in-depth, scientific understanding of the principles covered in each topic, including How Science Works. Helps students easily see how content from the specification is covered through topic overview maps. Written by highly respected and experienced authors.

This volume contains invited and refereed papers based upon presentations given in the IMA workshop on Computational Modeling in Biological Fluid Dynamics during January of 1999, which was part of the year-long program "Mathematics in Biology." This workshop brought together biologists, zoologists, engineers, and mathematicians working on a variety of issues in biological fluid dynamics. A unifying theme in biological fluid dynamics is the interaction of elastic boundaries with a surrounding fluid. These moving boundary problems, coupled with the equations of incompressible, viscuous fluid dynamics, pose formidable challenges to the computational scientist. In this volume, a variety of computational methods are presented, both in general terms and within the context of applications including ciliary beating, blood flow, and insect flight. Our hope is that this collection will allow others to become aware of and interested in the exciting accomplishments and challenges uncovered during this workshop.

Contents:
Part 1. Fundamental Aspects 1. Principles of Cryobiology Peter Mazur 2. The Water to Ice Transition. Implications for Living Cells Ken Muldrew, Jason Acker, Gloria Elliott, Locksley Mcgann Part 2. Life and Death at Low Temperatures 3. Life in the Polar Terrestrial Environment with a Focus on Algae and Cyanobacteria Josef Elster, Erica Benson 4. Microbial Life in Permafrost. Extended Times in Extreme Conditions Monica Ponder, Tatiana Vishnivetskaya, John Mcgrath and James Tiedje 5. Adaptation of Higher Plants to Freezing Roger Pearce 6. Oxidative Stress in the Frozen Plant. A Free Radical Point of View Erica Benson, David Bremner 7. Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Vertebrate Freeze Tolerance. The Wood Frog Kenneth B. Storey, Janet M. Storey Part 3. Freezing and Banking of Living Resources 8. Preservation of Fungi and Yeasts C. Shuhui Tan, Cor Van Ingen 9. Cryo-Conserving Algal and Plant Diversity. Historical Perspectives and Future Challenges Erica E. Benson 10. Plant Cryopreservation Akira Sakai 11. The Early History of Gamete Cryobiology Stanley P. Leibo 12. Cryobiology of Gametes and the Breeding of Domestic Animals Alban Massip, Stanley P. Leibo, Elizabeth Blesbois 13. Cryopreservation as a Supporting Measure in Species Conservation; "Not The Frozen Zoo!" Amanda R. Pickard, William V. Holt 14. Cryopreservation of Gametes and Embryos of Aquatic Species Tiantian Zhang 15. Fundamental Issues for Cell-Line Banks in Biotechnology and Regulatory Affairs Glyn Stacey Part 4. Medical Applications 16. Mechanisms of Injury Caused by In Vivo Freezing Nathan E Hoffman, John C. Bischof 17. Cryopreservation in Transfusion Medicine and Haematology Andreas Sputtek, Rebekka Sputtek 18. Cryopreservation of Human Gametes and Embryos Barry Fuller, Sharon Paynter, Paul Watson 19. The Scientific Basis for Tissue Banking Monica Wusteman Charles J. Hunt 20. Engineering Desiccation Tolerance in Mammalian Cells. Tools and Techniques Jason P. Acker, Tani Chen, Alex Fowler, Mehmet Toner 21. Stabilization of Cells During Freeze-Drying. The Trehalose Myth John H. Crowe, Lois M. Crowe, Fern Tablin, Willem Wolkers, Ann E. Oliver, Nelly M. Tsvetkova 22. Vitrification in Tissue Preservation. New Developments Mike J. Taylor, Yin C. Song and Kelvin G.M. Brockbank Part 5. The Future of Cryobiology 23. The Future of Cryobiology Nick Lane

Statistical Design, Monitoring, and Analysis of Clinical Trials, Second Edition concentrates on the biostatistics component of clinical trials. This new edition is updated throughout and includes five new chapters. Developed from the authors' courses taught to public health and medical students, residents, and fellows during the past 20 years, the text shows how biostatistics in clinical trials is an integration of many fundamental scientific principles and statistical methods. The book begins with ethical and safety principles, core trial design concepts, the principles and methods of sample size and power calculation, and analysis of covariance and stratified analysis. It then focuses on sequential designs and methods for two-stage Phase II cancer trials to Phase III group sequential trials, covering monitoring safety, futility, and efficacy. The authors also discuss the development of sample size reestimation and adaptive group sequential procedures, phase 2/3 seamless design and trials with predictive biomarkers, exploit multiple testing procedures, and explain the concept of estimand, intercurrent events, and different missing data processes, and describe how to analyze incomplete data by proper multiple imputations. This text reflects the academic research, commercial development, and public health aspects of clinical trials. It gives students and practitioners a multidisciplinary understanding of the concepts and techniques involved in designing, monitoring, and analyzing various types of trials. The book's balanced set of homework assignments and in-class exercises are appropriate for students and researchers in (bio)statistics, epidemiology, medicine, pharmacy, and public health.

This revised and updated second edition is an accessible companion designed to help science and technology students develop the knowledge, skills and strategies needed to produce clear and coherent academic writing in their university assignments. Using authentic texts to explore the nature of scientific writing, the book covers key areas such as scientific style, effective sentence and paragraph structure, and coherence in texts and arguments. Throughout the book, a range of tasks offers the opportunity to put theory into practice. The explorative tasks allow you to see how language works in a real scientific context, practice and review tasks consolidate learning and help you to develop your own writing skills, and reflective tasks encourage you to think about your own knowledge and experience, and bring this to bear on your own writing journey at university. Key features of the new edition include: * Updated content and additional tasks throughout * New chapters, covering writing in the sciences and writing at university * The introduction of reflective tasks * Up-to-date examples of authentic scientific writing Clear, engaging and easy-to-use, this is an invaluable tool for the busy science or technology student looking to improve their writing and reach their full academic potential.

Review: Taurine Deficiency and the Cat.- Taurine Synthesis in Cat and Mouse In Vivo and In Vitro.- Amino Acid Interaction with Taurine Metabolism in Cats.- The Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Cysteic Acid on the Plasma Taurine Concentration of Cats Maintained on a Taurine-Restricted Diet.- The Metabolic Basis for the Taurine Requirement of Cats.- Intestinal Taurine and the Enterohepatic Circulation of Taurocholic Acid in the Cat.- Urinary Excretion of Taurine as a Function of Taurine Intake: Potential for Estimating Taurine Bioavailability in the Adult Cat.- Dilated Cardiomyopathy Associated with Taurine Deficiency in the Domestic Cat: Relationship to Diet and Myocardial Taurine Content.- Reduction of Intrinsic Contractile Function of the Left Ventricle by Taurine Deficiency in Cats.- "Activation" of Alveolar Leukocytes Isolated from Cats Fed Taurine-free Diets.- High Dietary Taurine and Feline Reproduction.- Taurine Distribution in the Cat Muscle: An Immunohistochemical Study.- Review: Myocardial Physiological Effects of Taurine and Their Significance.- Sarcolemmal Actions of Taurine Linked to Altered Phospholipid N-methylation.- Taurine Effects on Ionic Currents in Myocardial Cells.- Taurine Attenuates Contracture Induced by Perfusion with Low Sodium, High Calcium Medium in Chick Hearts.- Effect of Taurine on Intracellular Calcium Dynamics of Cultured Myocardial Cells During the Calcium Paradox.- Intracellular Effects of Taurine: Studies on Skinned Cardiac Preparations.- Effects of Taurine Deficiency on Arrhythmogenesis and Excitation-contraction Coupling in Cardiac Tissue.- Taurine Potentiates the Antiaggregatory Action of Aspirin and Indomethacin.- Antiarrhythmic Action of Taurine.- Mechanism Underlying Physiological Modulation of Myocardial Contraction by Taurine.- Effects of Taurine Depletion on Membrane Electrical Properties of Rat Skeletal Muscle.- Regression of Taurine Depletion in Rhesus Monkeys Deprived of Dietary Taurine Throughout the First Year.- Taurine Transport in the Mouse Cerebral Cortex During Development and Ageing.- Phospholipids, Phospholipid Methylation and Taurine Content in Synaptosomes of Developing Rat Brain.- The Effect of Taurine on the Age-related Decline of the Immune Response in Mice: the Restorative Effect on the T Cell Proliferative Response to Costimulation with Ionomycin and Phorbol Myristate Acetate.- Effects of Taurine Deficiency on Immune Function in Mice.- Review: Recent Studies on Taurine in the Central Nervous System.- Pathologies of the CNS and Associated Taurine Changes.- Taurine Receptor: Kinetic Analysis and Pharmacological Studies.- Evoked Endogenous Taurine Release from Cultured Cerebellar Neurons.- Effect of Hepes on the Uptake of Taurine by Cultured Nervous Cells.- The Trophic Role of Taurine in the Retina. A Possible Mechanism of Action.- Endogenous Regulation of the Taurine Receptor.- Localization of Taurine and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein in Human Optic Nerve Using Immunocytochemical Techniques.- Effects of Taurine on Protein Phosphorylation in Mammalian Tissues.- Taurine Protection of Lungs in Hamster Models of Oxidant Injury: a Morphologic Time Study of Paraquat and Bleomycin Treatment.- Taurine and Niacin Offer a Novel Therapeutic Modality in Prevention of Chemically-induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Hamsters.- Taurine Protects Against Oxidant Injury to Rat Alveolar Pneumocytes.- The Protective Effect of Taurine on the Biomembrane Against Damage Produced by the Oxygen Radical.- Volume Regulatory Fluxes in Glial and Renal Cells.- Cell Volume Changes and Taurine Release in Cerebral Cortical Slices.- L-Glutamate-induced Swelling of Cultured Astrocytes.- Taurine and Volume Regulation in Isolated Nerve Endings.- Hyperosmolarity and Taurine Content, Uptake and Release in Astrocytes.- GABA and Taurine Serve as Respectively a Neurotransmitter and an Osmolyte in Cultured Cerebral Cortical Neurons.- Potassium-stimulated Release of Taurine in A Crude Retinal Preparation O...

This book offers a thorough and up-to-date treatment of the use of morphometric procedures in a wide variety of contexts. As one of the most dynamic and popular fields on the contemporary biological scene, morphometrics is gaining notice among researchers and students as a necessary complement to molecular studies in the understanding and maintenance of biodiversity. This is the first reference to meet that growing need.

Contents:
Part 1. Introduction. M.R. Leary, R.M. Kowalski, An Introduction to Social-clinical Psychology. M.R. Leary, J.E. Maddux, Progress Toward a Viable Interface between Social and Clinical-counseling Psychology. Part 2.
Social Psychological Processes in the Development and Maintenance of Emotional and Behavioral Problems. C.A. Anderson, R.S. Miller, A.L. Riger, J.C. Dill, C. Sedikides, Behavioral and Characterological Attributional Styles as Predictors of Depression and Loneliness: Review, Refinement and Test. C. Peterson, R.S. Vaidya, Explanatory Style, Expectations, and Depressive Symptoms. R.F. Baumeister, T.F. Heatherton, Self-regulation Failure: An Overview. C. Peterson, M.E.P. Seligman, K.H. Yurko, L.R. Martin, H.S. Friedman, Catastrophizing and Untimely Death. B.M. Braginsky, D.D. Braginsky, Schizophrenic Patients in the Psychiatric Interview: An Experimental Study of Their Effectiveness at Manipulation. S. Berglas, E.E. Jones, Drug Choice as a Self-handicapping Strategy in Response to Noncontingent Success. C.S. Crandall, Social Cognition of Binge Eating. M.R. Leary, L.S. Schreindorfer, A.L. Haupt, The Role of Self-esteem in Emotional and Behavioral Problems: Why is Low Self-esteem Dysfunctional? F.D. Fincham, T.N. Bradbury, Marital Satisfaction, Depression, and Attributions: A Longitudinal Analysis. J.E. Hokanson, M.P. Rubert, R.A. Welker, G.R. Hollander, C. Hedeen, Interpersonal Concomitants and Antecedents of Depression among College Students. S. Strack, J.C. Coyne, Social Confirmation of Dysphoria: Shared and Private Reactions to Depression. G. Downey, S.I. Feldman, Implications of Rejection Sensitivity for Intimate Relationships. Part 3. Social Psychological Processes in the Perception and Diagnosis of Psychological Problems. D.L. Rosenhan, On Being Sane in Insane Places. E.J. Langer, R.P. Abelson, A Patient by Any Other Name... Clinical Group Difference in Labeling Bias. J. Copeland, M. Snyder, When Counselors Confirm: A Functional Analysis. J.E. Maddux, The Mythology of Psychopathology: A Social Cognitive View of Deviance, Difference, and Disorder. P.W. Corrigan, D.L. Penn, Lessons from Social Psychology on Discrediting Psychiatric Stigma. Part 4. Social Psychological Processes in Clinical Treatment and Psychological Change. J. Frank, American Psychotherapy in Perspective (Excerpt from Persuasion and Healing). D.R. Forsyth, S.R. Strong, The Scientific Study of Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Unificationist View. J.W. Pennebaker, J.K. Kiecolt-Glaser, R. Glaser, Disclosure of Traumas and Immune Function: Health Implications for Psychotherapy. D. Axsom, J. Cooper, Cognitive Dissonance and Psychotherapy: The Role of Effort Justification in Inducing Weight Loss. B.W. McNeill, C.D. Stoltenberg, Reconceptualizing Social Influence in Counseling: The Elaboration Likelihood Model. E.J. Langer, J. Rodin, The Effects of Choice and Enhanced Personal Responsibility for the Aged: A Field Experiment in an Institutional Setting. W.B. Swann, Jr, The Trouble with Change: Self-verification and Allegiance to the Self. Appendix. C.H. Jordan, M.P. Zanna, How to Read a Journal Article in Social Psychology.

First volume selling primarily in the United States, push for more global promotion. "non-invasivel" related healing modalities and environmental medicine are both very hot topics. There are not any existing books with this dual focus that have an accompanying successful volume on nutrition and integrative medicine.

A wide range of research methods for the study of vascular development, from basic laboratory protocols to advanced technologies used in clinical practice, are covered in this work. A range of methodologies such as molecular imaging platforms and signalling analysis, along with tumour models are collated here. Four sections explore in vitro techniques, in vivo and ex vivo manipulations, imaging and histological analysis and other novel techniques in vascular biology. Readers will discover basic methodologies used for analysis of endothelial cell growth in vitro, including co-culture models of vessel formation. Authors also explore isolation and purification of cells and methods for analysis of data and visualization of localized vasculature with modern imaging platforms. Both animal models and human disease are covered in this work. Each chapter contains helpful sections on trouble shooting, additional notes and links, supporting the reader to carry out protocols. This book will appeal to students, researchers and medical professionals working in all vascular-linked fields such as cardio- and cerebrovascular, cancer and dementia.