Cash crops are grown and sold for monetary gain and not necessarily for sustenance. They include coffee, tea, coconut, cotton, jute, groundnut, castor, linseed, cocoa, rubber, cassava, soybean, sweet potato, potato, wheat, corn and teff. While some of these crops have been improved for realizing yield potential, breeding of many of them is still in infancy. Crops that underwent rigorous breeding have eventually lost much of the diversity due to extensive cultivation with a few improved varieties and the diversity in less bred species is to be conserved. Over the past years, scholars and policy makers have become increasingly aware of the short and long-run impact of climatic factors on economic, food security, social and political outcomes . Genetic diversity, natural and induced, is much needed for the future generations to sustain food production with more climate resilient crops. In contrast, crop uniformity produced across the farm fields in the form of improved varieties is genetically vulnerable to biotic and abiotic stresses. Thus, it is essential and challenging to address the issue of compromising between maximizing crop yield under a given set of conditions and minimizing the risk of crop failure when conditions change. Cash crops are grown in an array of climatic conditions. Many of the world's poor still live in rural areas. Many are subsistence farmers, operating very small farms using very little agricultural inputs for achieving marketable outputs. Conserving the diversity of these crops and addressing all issues of crop culture through modern tools of biotechnology and genomics is a real challenge. We believe the focus of this book is to fill an unmet need of this and other grower communities by providing the necessary knowledge, albeit indirectly via the academics, to manage the risks of cash crops breeding through managing genetic diversity.

Evolution is the single unifying principle of biology and core to everything in the life sciences. More than a century of work by scientists from across the biological spectrum has produced a detailed history of life across the phyla and explained the mechanisms by which new species form. This textbook covers both this history and the mechanisms of speciation; it also aims to provide students with the background needed to read the research literature on evolution. Students will therefore learn about cladistics, molecular phylogenies, the molecular-genetical basis of evolutionary change including the important role of protein networks, symbionts and holobionts, together with the core principles of developmental biology. The book also includes introductory appendices that provide background knowledge on, for example, the diversity of life today, fossils, the geology of Earth and the history of evolutionary thought. Key Features Summarizes the origins of life and the evolution of the eukaryotic cell and of Urbilateria, the last common ancestor of invertebrates and vertebrates. Reviews the history of life across the phyla based on the fossil record and computational phylogenetics. Explains evo-devo and the generation of anatomical novelties. Illustrates the roles of small populations, genetic drift, mutation and selection in speciation. Documents human evolution using the fossil record and evidence of dispersal across the world leading to the emergence of modern humans.

Originally published in 1987 Rates of Evolution is an edited collection drawn from a symposium convened to bring together palaeontologists, geneticists, molecular biologists and developmental biologists to examine some aspects of the problem of evolutionary rates. The book asks questions surrounding the study of evolution, such as did large morphological changes really occur rapidly at various times in the geological past, or is the fossil record too imperfect to be of value in assessing rates of morphological change? What is the measure of 'rapid' change? Is stasis at any taxonomic level established? Is it possible to relate genomic and morphological change? What is the role of regulatory and executive genes in controlling evolutionary change? Does the transfer of genetic material between different taxa provide the possibility of increasing evolutionary rates? Featuring contributions from leading researchers, this book will interest anthropologists, palaeontology and scientists of evolution and genetics.

This volume considers the current techniques used by experts to study and measure cerebellar function. The chapters in this book cover topics such as stem cell-based techniques; conditional genetics approaches in model systems; neuronal recordings conducted in vitro and in vivo; and an ever-growing list of behavioral paradigms. This book also provides readers with a guide for how to use tools such as iPSCs and how to address questions using a range of approaches in animal model systems including mouse, rat, zebrafish, and non-human primate. In the Neuromethods series style, the chapters include the kind of detail and key advice from the specialists needed to get successful results in your laboratory. Cutting-edge and authoritative, Measuring Cerebellar Function is a valuable resource for cerebellar enthusiasts and other scientists interested in learning more about the cerebellum and the technological advances that are currently being employed to unlock brain function and understand animal behavior.

Ribosome biogenesis is the process of making ribosomes which are responsible for mRNA translation into proteins. It is a tightly regulated process closely linked to nearly all biochemical and cellular processes, including cell division, growth, and development. Emerging Concepts in Ribosome Structure, Biogenesis, and Function provides a synthesized overview of all the parts engaged in this process. The book begins by providing an introduction to the ribosome factory, its origin, and its evolution of translation. It then goes on to describe ribosome structure including subunits, RNA, and protein components. Ribosome biogenesis and its emergence as a frontier research area for translational potential in cancer and other diseases are also discussed. In addition, the book explores current developments in ribosome research like the emergence of ribosomopathies, how deregulation of ribosome biogenesis can impact disease mechanisms and aging, and the discovery of specialized ribosomes that have specific functions that may translate differentially with consequences on normal and pathological processes. Emerging Concepts in Ribosome Structure, Biogenesis, and Function provides fundamental coverage and emerging research on ribosomes, biogenesis, and their structure and function and is a resourceful introduction for new researchers and those engaged in interdisciplinary ribosomal research.

The field of genetics has changed considerably since the first edition of Genetics for Cat Breeders was published in 1971. For decades the discussion of genetics was limited to observations of populations but now geneticists are beginning to look at the actual molecular mechanisms behind the traits and diseases seen in the cat. Continuing the pioneering work of the late Roy Robinson, Carolyn Vella and her team of experts have significantly expanded the scope of previous editions to produce a work which is now of equal benefit to both veterinary surgeons and cat breeders. Their aim has been to make the book more accessible and understandable whilst providing an impartial look at sometimes controversial and complex issues. The book retains the most important information published in previous editions and also incorporates some of the continuing work done by Roy Robinson prior to his death. A considerable amount of new information has been added in order to provide both breeders and veterinarians with the broadest possible range of information. The authors have not only reviewed the traditional sources of scientific literature and recently published studies, but have also conducted interviews with veterinarians, researchers and breeders. * The 4th edition of Roy Robinson's established text on cat genetics has been updated by a team of specialists to reflect a decade of changes and advances in genetic research * The authorship now includes a practising veterinarian as well as experienced cat breeders, thus making this new edition useful at both veterinary and breeder levels * New technical and historical appendices contain important reference material and a glossary has been added for ease of reference

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. This important book explores recent research by experts in the field pertaining to the role played by genetic factors in human pathology. A range of perspectives creates a well-rounded picture, including: host-pathogen interactions causal relationships between genes and the environment the effects of environmental chemicals on gene expression DNA methylation The book also covers the analysis and provides models for understanding the epigenetics-pathology connection. This book is designed for use by senior undergraduate and graduate students from several disciplines such as general, molecular, cellular biology, genetics, genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics. It will also serve as a reference book for existing researchers and new investigators entering this rather unexplored field.

The over-riding premise for biotechnology in this book is bringing novel products to market to substantially advance patient care and disease mitigation. Biotechnology, over its relatively brief existence of 40 years, has experienced a mercurial growth. The vast educational need for biotechnology information in this rapidly burgeoning field is a basic rationale here. However a more prominent underpinning is that, bringing biotech products to market for patient care involves success in the following four areas of engagement simultaneously - scientific advances for healthcare technologies, novel and varied products for untreated diseases, regulatory authorities, and biotech companies. Features Comprehensive coverage of biotechnology science topics used in development and manufacturing Addresses all the scientific technologies within biotechnology responsible for products on the market and the pipeline Presents business issues such as marketing and sales of the products, as well as companies engaged, and how biotech business has evolved

Habitat fragmentation is one of the most ubiquitous and serious environmental threats confronting the long-term survival of plant and animal species worldwide. As species become restricted to remnant habitats, effective management for long-term conservation requires a quantitative understanding of the genetic and demographic effects of habitat fragmentation, and the implications for population viability. This book provides a detailed introduction to the genetic and demographic issues relevant to the conservation of fragmented populations such as demographic stochasticity, genetic erosion, inbreeding, metapopulation biology, and population viability analysis. The volume presents case studies on animals and plants, which illustrate a variety of approaches to examining long-term population viability. Some of the approaches include the application of molecular genetic markers, the investigation of reproductive biology, and the combination of demographic monitoring and modeling.

This book is a critical summary and exegesis of the work of Nicole Rafter, who was a leading scholar of the history of biological theories of crime causation as well as a profound theorist of the role of history within criminology. It introduces Rafter's key works and assesses her contributions to the fields of feminist criminology, cultural criminology, visual criminology and historical criminology. It also explores her theorization of criminology's identity, scientific status, and possible futures. While many books on criminological theory explain and historically contextualize theory, they do not interrogate the production of theory or the epistemological assumptions behind it. Drawing on the world of Nicole Rafter, this book offers an accessible handbook to her extensive historical studies and to how her work demonstrated the importance of historical theory to criminological knowledge. Furthermore, the author brings Rafter's historical research to life and shows how it speaks to contemporary issues in criminology and punishment. Written in a clear and direct style, this book will appeal to students and scholars of criminological theory, intellectual history, sociology, comparative criminology, and feminist criminology.

Documents the utility of Next Generation Sequencing and RNAseq to a wide array of aquatic environmental and physiological issues as well as to human health. Provides insights into the ways transcriptomics of aquatic animals and fish ecology can contribute to the understanding of human diseases Gives an account of the evolution of the techniques used to determine the transcriptome in crustacean aquaculture. Describes the mechanisms of genetic interaction between different pathogens and the human host and their effects modifying gene expression levels. Intended for undergraduate and graduate students interested in subjects related to physiology of aquatic animals, aquaculture, ecology and phylogeny of fishes, and human health.

The imbalance between rapidly proliferating tumor cells and inadequate and inefficient tumor vasculature leads to a decrease in oxygen levels (hypoxia and/or anoxia) in tumor tissues. Intra-tumor hypoxia profoundly affects the biological behavior of cancer cells, which become resistant to conventional therapies and acquire a more invasive and metastatic phenotype.Hypoxia is a hallmark of the malignant phenotype and a key feature of the tumor microenvironment. Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1 (HIF-1) is a master regulator of the transcriptional response to oxygen deprivation.HIF triggers the expression of genes whose products induce angiogenesis, decrease oxygen consumption, switch metabolism to glycolysis, maintain a stem cell phenotype and select for more invasive and metastatic cells. Therapeutic approaches targeting HIF, directly or downstream mediators of its transcriptional activity, are being developed. Intra-tumor hypoxia is atopic hasbeen gaining scientific interestover the last few years for its wide involvement in many physiological and pathological processes.
This volume will cover the latest research and translational aspects associated with intra-tumor hypoxia, along with opportunities for drug development offered by this unique feature of the tumor microenvironment. The ongoing efforts to translate our understanding of the biology underlying intra-tumor hypoxia in viable therapeutic options face many challenges, but this book will provide an opportunity for an in-depth analysis of the fundamental mechanisms implicated in the adaption to low oxygen levels and will scrutinize the potential for opportunities that are being pursued in both research and the drug development industry."

The advanced AI techniques are essential for resolving various problematic aspects emerging in the field of bioinformatics. This book covers the recent approaches in artificial intelligence and machine learning methods and their applications in Genome and Gene editing, cancer drug discovery classification, and the protein folding algorithms among others. Deep learning, which is widely used in image processing, is also applicable in bioinformatics as one of the most popular artificial intelligence approaches. The wide range of applications discussed in this book are an indispensable resource for computer scientists, engineers, biologists, mathematicians, physicians, and medical informaticists. Features: Focusses on the cross-disciplinary relation between computer science and biology and the role of machine learning methods in resolving complex problems in bioinformatics Provides a comprehensive and balanced blend of topics and applications using various advanced algorithms Presents cutting-edge research methodologies in the area of AI methods when applied to bioinformatics and innovative solutions Discusses the AI/ML techniques, their use, and their potential for use in common and future bioinformatics applications Includes recent achievements in AI and bioinformatics contributed by a global team of researchers

This volume looks at the framework in which different scientific disciplines are integrated into the latest studies in behavioral neurogenetics, and covers new approaches toward understanding the system that controls behavior across the animal kingdom. Chapters in this book cover topics such as mapping brain-wide mesoscale connectome from single animals with BRICseq; gut microbes and Drosophila behavior; bioassaying the function of pheromones in Drosophila melanogaster's social behavior; automated behavior analysis using a YOLO-based object detection system; and proteomic analysis of C. elegans neurons using TurboID-based proximity labeling. In the Neuromethods series style, chapters include the kind of detail and key advice from the specialists needed to get successful results in your laboratory. Cutting-edge and practical, Behavioral Neurogenetics is a valuable resource for experienced and novice researchers interested in learning more about this field and its future developments.

This detailed volume collects commonly used and cutting-edge methods to analyze alternative splicing, a key step in gene regulation. After an introduction of the alternative splicing mechanism and its targeting for therapeutic strategies, the book continues with techniques for analyzing alternative splicing profiles in complex biological systems, visualizing and localizing alternative spliced transcripts with cellular and sub-cellular resolution, probing regulators of alternative splicing, as well as assessing the functional consequences of alternative splicing. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introduction to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, reproducible protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Alternative Splicing: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for both RNA aficionados that want to implement novel approaches in their labs and novices undertaking alternative splicing projects.

* Focuses on human identification using traditional DNA typing methods targeting short tandem repeats (STRs) * Applies the technology and usage to law enforcement investigations and identity and ancestry single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for investigational leads, mass disaster, and ancestry cases * Introduces the underlying principles of NGS, focusing forensic application and the introduction of NGS into forensic labs in the coming years

* Focuses on human identification using traditional DNA typing methods targeting short tandem repeats (STRs) * Applies the technology and usage to law enforcement investigations and identity and ancestry single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for investigational leads, mass disaster, and ancestry cases * Introduces the underlying principles of NGS, focusing forensic application and the introduction of NGS into forensic labs in the coming years

This is a reference handbook for young researchers exploring gene and cell therapy. Gene therapy could be defined as a set of strategies modifying gene expression or correcting mutant/defective genes through the administration of DNA (or RNA) to cells, in order to treat disease. Important advances like the discovery of RNA interference, the completion of the Human Genome project or the development of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSc) and the basics of gene therapy are covered. This is a great book for students, teachers, biomedical researchers delving into gene/cell therapy or researchers borrowing skills from this scientific field.

This book offers a unique balance between a basic introductory knowledge of bioinformatics and a detailed study of algorithmic techniques. Bioinformatics and RNA: A Practice-Based Approach is a complete guide on the fundamental concepts, applications, algorithms, protocols, new trends, challenges, and research results in the area of bioinformatics and RNA. The book offers a broad introduction to the explosively growing new discipline of bioinformatics. It covers theoretical topics along with computational algorithms. It explores RNA bioinformatics, which contribute to therapeutics and drug discovery. Implementation of algorithms in a DotNet Framework with code and complete insight on the state-of-the-art and recent advancements are presented in detail. The book targets both novice readers as well as practitioners in the field. FEATURES Offers a broad introduction to the explosively growing new discipline of bioinformatics Covers theoretical topics and computational algorithms Explores RNA bioinformatics to unleash the potential from therapeutics to drug discovery Discusses implementation of algorithms in DotNet Frameworks with code Presents insights into the state of the art and recent advancements in bioinformatics The book is useful to undergraduate students with engineering, science, mathematics, or biology backgrounds. Researchers will be equally interested.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. Epigenetics is the study of DNA and chromatin modifications that play an important role in the regulation of various genomic functions. This important book reviews human and cellular data that underline paradoxical findings with respect to the contribution of heredity and environment to phenotype, followed by a reinterpretation of these experiments that incorporate epigenetic factors.

This book aims to be an introduction to haplotype information for both the wet and dry labs. Chapters detail co-barcoding and linked-reads based methods, third generation sequencing based methods, Hi-C based methods, single-cell and Strand-seq, and methods for using haplotype data once obtained. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Haplotyping: Methods and Protocols aims to provide comprehensive and accessible methods to undergraduate, graduate, and established scientists.

Chirality is a fundamental, persistent, but often overlooked feature of all living organisms on the molecular level as well as on the macroscopic scale. The high degree of preference for only one of two possible mirror image forms in Nature, often called biological homochirality is a puzzling, and not yet fully understood, phenomenon.

This book covers biological homochirality from an interdisciplinary approach - contributions range from synthetic chemists, theoretical topologists and physicists, from palaeontologists and biologists to space scientists and representatives of the pharmaceutical and materials industries.
Topics covered include -
theory of biochirality,
origins of biochirality,
autocatalysis with amplification of chirality,
macroscopic (present) biochirality,
fossil records of chiral organisms - paleochirality,
extraterrestrial origin of chirality,
exceptions to the rule of biological homochirality, D-amino acids,
chemical transfer of chirality,
P effects, and
polarised radiation chemistry.

This book deals with the paradoxical role of autophagy in tumor suppression and tumor promotion in cancer cells. Autophagy plays opposing, context-dependent roles in tumors; accordingly, strategies based on inhibiting or stimulating autophagy could offer as potential cancer therapies. The book elucidates the physiological role of autophagy in modulating cancer metastasis, which is the primary cause of cancer-associated mortality. Further, it reviews its role in the differentiation, development, and activation of multiple immune cells, and its potential applications in tumor immunotherapy. In addition, it examines the effect of epigenetic modifications of autophagy-associated genes in regulating tumor growth and therapeutic response and summarizes autophagy's role in the development of resistance to a variety of anti-cancer drugs in cancer cells. In closing, it assesses autophagy as a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable asset for all oncologists and researchers who wish to understand the potential role of autophagy in tumor biology.

Are you your genes? De-Sequencing: Identity Work with Genes explores this perplexing question, showing how different forms of knowledge must be contextualized to become meaningful. It is generally assumed that the genomic sequence adds up to the identity-forming material life is made of. Yet identity cannot itself adopt the form of a sequence. As the authors in this volume show, the genome must be 'de-sequenced' by human language to render it interpretable and meaningful in a social context. The book unpacks this type of 'sequence-speech' in engaging detail, adopting a personal, social, cultural, and bio-political approach to examine the transformation of human identity and reflexivity in the era of genetic citizenship.

Grapevine is a highly valuable crop worldwide, both from cultural as well as commercial point of view. One major advantage this crop has is that it is well adapted to scarce water conditions. Grapes are also a valuable source of health-promoting compounds such as polyphenols. The main object of grapevine breeding is to develop varieties of high quality, that are resistant to pathogens and at the same time well adapted to a changing environment. Since the beginning of the XXI century, there has been a concerted effort by the international scientific community to develop genomic tools and resources for grapevine culminating in its complete genome sequence. These efforts and their usefulness for grapevine breeding or viticulture improvement are reviewed and discussed in this book by globally reputed scientists in the field.