With the advent of the Human Genome Project there have been many claims for the genetic origins of complex human behavior including insanity, criminality, and intelligence. But what does it really mean to call something "genetic"? This is the fundamental question that Sahotra Sarkar's book addresses. This important book clarifies the meaning of the term "genetic," shows how molecular studies have affected genetics, and provides the philosophical background necessary to understand the debates over the Human Genome Project. It will be of particular interest to professionals and students in the philosophy of science, the history of science, and the social studies of science, medicine, and technology.

This book, first published in 1996, is a concise yet fully informative coverage of the structure and function of genes. It describes DNA and how it replicates, how DNA is transcribed and translated into proteins, the organisation of genes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the control of gene expression and the role of retroviruses and oncogenes in cancer. There are additional discussions of gene families, genes and the immune systems and mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes. This is a third edition of a successful undergraduate text. It has been extensively updated, particularly in regard to advances in our understanding of replication and transcription.

Bioinformatics is the study of biological information and biological systems - such as of the relationships between the sequence, structure and function of genes and proteins. The subject has seen tremendous development in recent years, and there are ever-increasing needs for good understanding of quantitative methods in the study of proteins. "Protein Bioinformatics: An Algorithmic Approach to Sequence and Structure Analysis" takes the novel approach of covering both the sequence and structure analysis of proteins in one volume and from an algorithmic perspective. Provides a comprehensive introduction to the analysis of protein sequences and structures. Provides an integrated presentation of methodology, examples, exercises and applications. Emphasises the algorithmic rather than mathematical aspects of the methods described. Covers comparison and alignment of protein sequences and structures as well as protein structure prediction focusing on threading approaches. Written in an accessible yet rigorous style, suitable for biologists, mathematicians and computer scientists alike. Suitable both for developers and users of bioinformatics tools. Supported by a Web site featuring exercises, solutions, images, and computer programs.

"Protein Bioinformatics: An Algorithmic Approach to Sequence and Structure Analysis" is ideally suited for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of bioinformatics, statistics, mathematics and computer science. It also provides an excellent introduction and reference source on the subject for practitioners and researchers.

DNA "fingerprinting," genetic engineering of food, genetic screening, gene therapy, the human genome project...there is no shortage of news these days about the genetic revolution. The purpose of this book is to take the interested reader behind the headlines to explore the fascinating world of molecular biology. Eschewing jargon, author Susan Aldridge gives an accessible account of the world of DNA and also explores its present and future applications. In the first part of the book, she explains what DNA is and how it functions within living organisms. In the second part, she explores genetic engineering and its applications to humans--such as gene therapy, genetic screening, and DNA fingerprinting. In the third, the author looks at the wider world of biotechnology and how genetic engineering can be applied to such problems as producing vegetarian cheese or cleaning up the environment. Finally, she explains how knowledge of the structure and function of genes sheds light on evolution and our place in the world. Aldridge has written with a light touch full of historical references; her achievement will make rewarding reading for anyone who reads popular accounts of the life sciences.

This book presents a novel molecular description for understanding the regulatory mechanisms behind the autonomy and self-organization in biological systems. Chapters focus on defining and explaining the regulatory molecular mechanisms behind different aspects of autonomy and self-organization in the sense of autonomous coding, data processing, structure (mass) formation and energy production in a biological system. Subsequent chapters discuss the cross-talk among mechanisms of energy, and mass and information, transformation in biological systems. Other chapters focus on applications regarding therapeutic approaches in regenerative medicine. Molecular Mechanisms of Autonomy in Biological Systems is an indispensable resource for scientists and researchers in regenerative medicine, stem cell biology, molecular biology, tissue engineering, developmental biology, biochemistry, biophysics, bioinformatics, as well as big data sciences, complexity and soft computing.

This book presents a diverse collection of chapters on basic research at the molecular level using Lepidoptera as model systems. This volume, however, is more than just a compendium of information about insect systems in general, or the Lepidoptera in particular. Each chapter is a self-contained treatment of a broad subject area, providing sufficient background information to give readers a sense of the guiding principles and central questions associated with each topic, in addition to major methodologies and findings. Comparisons with other major model systems are emphasized, with special attention given to the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Topics include: genetics, mobile elements, embryogenesis, silk gland and chorion gene regulation, hormone action, neurobiology, the immune response and engineered baculoviruses. Molecular and developmental biologists at graduate and researcher levels will find this book of great interest.

The Routledge International Handbook of Social Neuroendocrinology is an authoritative reference work providing a balanced overview of current scholarship spanning the full breadth of the rapidly developing field of social neuroendocrinology. Considering the relationships between hormones, the brain, and social behavior, this collection brings together groundbreaking research in the field for the first time. Featuring 39 chapters written by leading researchers, the handbook offers impressive breadth of coverage. It begins with an overview of the history of social neuroendocrinology before discussing its methodological foundations and challenges. Other topics covered include state-of-the-art research on dominance and aggression; social affiliation; reproduction and pair bonding (e.g., sexual behavior, sexual orientation, romantic relationships); pregnancy and parenting; stress and emotion; cognition and decision making; social development; and mental and physical health. The handbook adopts a lifespan approach to the study of social neuroendocrinology throughout, covering the role that hormones play during gestation, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. It also illustrates the evolutionary forces that have shaped hormone-behavior associations across species, including research on humans, non-human primates, birds, and rodents. The handbook will serve as an authoritative reference work for researchers, students, and others intrigued by this topic, while also inspiring new lines of research on interactions among hormones, brain, and behavior in social contexts.

In this new edition, Brian Charlesworth provides a comprehensive review of the basic mathematical theory of the demography and genetics of age-structured populations. The author aims to avoid complicated mathematics, but gives full derivations of major theoretical results for the edification of the reader.

Das erste Laborhandbuch der Humangenetik. Jedes Kapitel behandelt eine Praxiseinheit. Die Themen reichen von den Grundlagen des menschlichen Erbgutes uber die Genetik von Krankheiten, webbasierte Ressourcen, Bioinformatik und Individualmedizin bis hin zur genetischen Beratung.

The productivity of agricultural systems is the result of human alteration of originally wild organisms over millennia. The availability of germplasm, particularly from wild relatives of crop plants, is vitally important in the development of new and improved crops for both agriculture and horticulture. The handling of these genetic resources for both immediate and future human benefits has resulted in the decades of interdisciplinary scientific research described in this book. The applications of this work and the associated operational programmes in all parts of the world are discussed in the light of their impact on the conservation of biodiversity, ecosystem rehabilitation and the future health of our planet.

Advances in research and development reveal the immense diversity and potential of marine genetic resources. Under international law, no specific regime applies to these complex and paradoxical objects of use. The Law of the Sea Convention sets a framework that is partly inadequate for this new category of resources. The Biodiversity Convention and the Nagoya Protocol only address the genetic resources of national areas. Patents allow their holder to exercise a monopoly on exploiting biotechnological creations to extensive claims, questioning the common nature of biodiversity and related knowledge. They hinder research and the objectives of biodiversity law. The legal and practical rules of physical and functional access vary in geometry. They focus on the valorization of research results, crystallizing conflicts of interest between suppliers and users. Sustainable research and development is essential to the knowledge and protection of marine biodiversity. The qualification of marine genetic resources in common, standard contractual tools, distributed research and development infrastructures, negotiation of an agreement on sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, would To remove these inconsistencies.

The science of genetics has undergone a period of very rapid and significant development in recent years, and the area of poultry genetics has been no exception. This book provides a balanced and up-to-date account of all the major areas of this subject from Mendelian to modern molecular genetics. The book begins by tracing the evolution of the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus) from its avian ancestors. Subsequent chapters cover important aspects of poultry genetics, including cytogenetics, transmission genetics, gene mapping, sex linkage, lethal genes, genetics of feathering and plumage, and quantitative genetics. In each chapter, a concise explanation of the genetic principles is followed by a full discussion illustrated by key examples. In the latter part of the book, recent advances in gene cloning and sequencing are examined. In the area of molecular genetics, where the most rapid developments have been made, more extensive background information is given and a glossary of terms is included. The impact of these exciting new developments on our understanding of gene structure and organization, immunogenetics, and the evolution of proteins is assessed. Finally, the uses of transgenic techniques and their implications are discussed. This book provides a clear and useful survey of the genetics and evolution of the domestic fowl, which will be of interest to postgraduate students and researchers in the fields of genetics, agriculture, and veterinary medicine, as well as to poultry breeders, both commercial and non-commercial.

The application of molecular biological techniques to the study of development has had a profound effect on our understanding of developmental processes. This 1985 book expounds some of the views on which hierarchies of genes control aspects of animal development. There is an emphasis on the best-studied systems, namely Drosophila and the nematode Caenorhabditis, though some features of mouse and sea-urchin development are also discussed. The book focuses on how information obtained from the study of mutants, combined with molecular details of the structure, regulation and functions of the genes involved, sheds light on the complex processes of animal development. The 1990 second edition, which is reprinted here, is an expanded and largely rewritten version of Dr de Pomerai's successful first edition. It features extensive additions to the chapter on insect development, a chapter discussing nematode development and another addressing differentiation in vertebrate systems.

Interest in water will continue to grow for a long time to come. It will continue to spread over a large number of disciplines and technologies. Research into water in all its aspects has become so diverse that even those with a direct interest find it impossible to keep up with the original literature beyond a very limited range. On the other hand, scientists want to keep in touch with a wide spectrum of basic and applied research on water and the role played by aqueous solvents in physical, chemical, biological, technological and environmental processes. Water Science Reviews contains three or four critical reviews of the type previously published in the seven volume work Water - A Comprehensive Treatise. Some reviews update previously published topics while others feature areas of Water Sciences that have never yet been reviewed. A common focus is the central position adopted by water in the systems and processes described.

This book discusses 14 model organisms and are used by thousands of researchers, teachers, and students each year in laboratories and classrooms, around the globe. Though acknowledged in innumerable scientific journal articles, little is generally known about the origin of these collections, how the organisms contained within them have been acquired, and how they are maintained and distributed. While some collections such as Drosophila have long histories others, such as the collection of Brachionus, are relatively new. They vary greatly in size. Yet, all have contributed and are continuing to contribute to global research efforts in many areas of scientific research as diverse as tissue regeneration, skin cancer, evolution, water purity, gene function, and hundreds of others. In addition to providing the raw materials for national and international research programs, these collections also provide educational tools used by colleges and high schools. The chapters in this book attempt to provide a brief look at the individual organisms, how they came to be accepted as model organisms, the history of the individual collections, examples of how the organisms have been and are being used in scientific research, and a description of the facilities and procedures used to maintain them. Features: * Provides an in-depth look at the collections of 14 model organisms that have enabled innumerable scientific breakthroughs over decades, and that continue to do so. * Includes detailed descriptions of the operating procedures used for the maintenance of each model organism collection. * Discusses the holdings of the collections of model organisms and its relevance to past, current and future scientific research. * Written by the leaders in the field of the management of model organisms.

Until recently, comparative studies have not played a major role in mammalian genetics because there was little to compare. However, this situation has been changed by rapid developments in molecular biology which have revealed details of the genetic structures of a wide range of mammalian species. The resulting flood of information on comparative aspects of mammalian genomes has been scattered across a great many journals and books, and no single source has been available. X-Linked Traits: A Catalog of Loci in Non-Human Mammals presents just such a source for the mammalian X-chromosome. X-Linked Traits will serve as a useful guide for researchers in comparative mammalian genetics, developmental biology, cell biology, and biochemistry, as well as clinical disciplines in human and veterinary medicine.

A top behavioral geneticist makes the case that DNA inherited from our parents at the moment of conception can predict our psychological strengths and weaknesses.In Blueprint, behavioral geneticist Robert Plomin describes how the DNA revolution has made DNA personal by giving us the power to predict our psychological strengths and weaknesses from birth. A century of genetic research shows that DNA differences inherited from our parents are the consistent lifelong sources of our psychological individuality--the blueprint that makes us who we are. Plomin reports that genetics explains more about the psychological differences among people than all other factors combined. Nature, not nurture, is what makes us who we are. Plomin explores the implications of these findings, drawing some provocative conclusions--among them that parenting styles don't really affect children's outcomes once genetics is taken into effect. This book offers readers a unique insider's view of the exciting synergies that came from combining genetics and psychology. The paperback edition has a new afterword by the author.

This 1989 volume stresses the way in which the pool of plant genetic resources provides vital raw material for producing new and improved crops and as source materials for experimental biologists. The availability of germplasm - particularly from wild relatives of crop plants - has become increasingly important with the development of new technology. These sophisticated new techniques now enable the plant breeder to make even greater use of many of the beneficial characteristics found in wild plants - such as disease- and drought- resistance - and to transfer these characteristics to improve existing crops. The first four sections of the volume provide a detailed survey of the role of plant collections in research and breeding, some case histories for specific plants, guidance on the size and structure of plant collections, and, finally, the principles and strategies of evaluation. The last two sections look at wild relatives of crops and also the impact of new technology. The volume will be of use to plant breeders, crop scientists, conservationists and plant biologists.

This volume, A Mathematical Primer of Molecular Phylogenetics, offers a unique perspective on a number of phylogenetic issues that have not been covered in detail in previous publications. The volume provides sufficient mathematical background for young mathematicians and computational scientists, as well as mathematically inclined biology students, to make a smooth entry into the expanding field of molecular phylogenetics. The book will also provide sufficient details for researchers in phylogenetics to understand the workings of existing software packages used. The volume offers comprehensive but detailed numerical illustrations to render difficult mathematical and computational concepts in molecular phylogenetics accessible to a variety of readers with different academic background. The text includes examples of solved problems after each chapter, which will be particularly helpful for fourth-year undergraduates, postgraduates, and postdoctoral students in biology, mathematics and computer sciences. Researchers in molecular biology and evolution will find it very informative as well.

Members of the fungal kingdom-the decomposers, the fermenters, the pathogens, the symbiotes-play critical roles in the ecology of our planet and have provided both benefits and hazards to humans for millennia. Pathogenic fungi are responsible for ca. 1.5 million deaths each year, yet other members of the Kingdom Fungi provide foods, medicines, industrial products, and more: a window for researchers into the workings of all eukaryotes. In The Fungal Kingdom, an international team of experts has assembled reviews by more than 170 mycologists, cell biologists, systems biologists, mathematicians, geneticists, and genomicists that cover the latest research and knowledge about all aspects of the Eumycota. The Fungal Kingdom is a rich collection of articles on all things fungi. These reviews present the latest fungal research and the impacts of fungi on agriculture, ecology, human health, and industrial applications as well as what lies ahead.

ONE OF AMAZON'S TOP 100 BOOKS OF 2014 Neanderthal Man tells the story of geneticist Svante Paabo's mission to answer this question: what can we learn from the genomes of our closest evolutionary relatives? Beginning with the study of DNA in Egyptian mummies in the early 1980s and culminating in the sequencing of the Neanderthal genome in 2010, Neanderthal Man describes the events, intrigues, failures, and triumphs of these scientifically rich years through the lens of the pioneer and inventor of the field of ancient DNA. We learn that Neanderthal genes offer a unique window into the lives of our hominid relatives and may hold the key to unlocking the mystery of why humans survived while Neanderthals went extinct. Paabo's findings have not only redrawn our family tree, but recast the fundamentals of human history,the biological beginnings of fully modern Homo sapiens , the direct ancestors of all people alive today.

Rabbits have many uses - as well as being cherished pets, they are bred for their meat and fur, and as laboratory animals. Understanding their genetics and genomics is key to their production and, equally, to their care, welfare and health. Beginning with an introduction to the rabbit, including key information on their evolution, domestication and breed types, this book then concentrates on the genetics and genomics of this valuable animal. This book covers: - Cytogenetics, genetic maps and QTL mapping; - Immunogenetics; - Genetics of coat colour, meat, fibre and fur production, reproduction, disease resistance and more. Concluding with practical applications such as creating transgenic and genome edited rabbits, biotechnical applications and the rabbit as a biomedical model, this book brings this important topic fully up-to-date. It provides an indispensable resource for animal and veterinary researchers and students, as well as rabbit breeders and laboratory scientists.

Devised in the 1940s by the biologist C. H. Waddington, the epigenetic landscape is a metaphor for how gene regulation modulates cellular development. As a scientific model, it fell out of use in the late 1960s but returned at the beginning of the twenty-first century with the advent of big-data genomic research because of its utility among scientists across the life sciences to think more creatively about and to discuss genetics. In Epigenetic Landscapes Susan Merrill Squier follows the model's cultural trail, from its first visualization by the artist John Piper to its use beyond science. Squier examines three cases in which the metaphor has been imaginatively deployed to illustrate complex systems that link scientific and cultural practices: graphic medicine, landscape architecture, and bioArt. Challenging reductive understandings of epigenetics, Squier boldly reclaims the broader significance of the epigenetic landscape as a figure at the nexus of art, design, and science.

Genetics, like all scientific disciplines, is a human endeavor. Thus, the lives of geneticists - their friendships, colleagues and associations - play an important role in the historical development of the science. This book summarizes the history of genetics by reviewing the lives of the prominent and influential researchers beginning with the earliest and simplest branches of genetics (studies of inheritance and mutation) and ending with the human genome project - the pinnacle of genetics research of the 20th century. Key selling features: Summarizes the lives of important genetics researchers Reviews the development of important foundational concepts Highlights the way new technologies and methods have advanced the study of genetics Explores the influence of genetics in other biomedical fields Avoids simplistic chronological summary of genetics

Practical Biostatistics: A Step-by-Step Approach for Evidence-Based Medicine, Second Edition presents a complete resource of biostatistical knowledge meant for health sciences students, researchers and health care professionals. The book's content covers the investigator's hypothesis, collective health, observational studies, the biostatistics of intervention studies, clinical trials and additional concepts. Chapters are written in a didactic way, making them easier to comprehend by readers with little or no background on statistics. Evidence-based medicine aims to apply the best available evidence gained from the scientific method to medical decision-making using statistical analyses of scientific methods and outcomes to drive further experimentation and diagnosis. With a detailed outline of implementation steps complemented by a review of important topics, this book can be used as a quick reference or hands-on guide on how to effectively incorporate biostatistics in clinical trials and research projects.