QTL Mapping in Crop Improvement: Present Progress and Future Perspectives presents advancements in QTL breeding for biotic and abiotic stresses and nutritional improvement in a range of crop plants. The book presents a roadmap for future breeding for resilience to various stresses and improvement in nutritional quality. Crops such as rice, wheat, maize, soybeans, common bean, and pigeon pea are the major staple crops consumed globally, hence fulfilling the nutritional requirements of global populations, particularly in the under-developed world, is extremely important. Sections cover the challenges facing maximized production of these crops, including diseases, insect damage, drought, heat, salinity and mineral toxicity. Covering globally important crops including maize, wheat, rice, barley, soybean, common bean and pigeon pea, this book will be an important reference for those working in agriculture and crop improvement.

The discovery in the 1920s of a huge cache of fossils in the Gobi Desert fuelled a mania for dinosaurs that continues to the present. But the original goal of the expedition was to search for the origins of man. Henry Fairfield Osborn (1857-1935), director of the American Museum of Natural History, stood at the forefront of the debate over human evolution and the expedition aimed to prove his theory of human origins. Osborn rejected the idea of primate ancestry and constructed a non-Darwinian theory that the evolution of man was the long adventurous story of individuals and groups exerting personal will-power and inborn characteristics to achieve both biological and spiritual success. It is an idea that still echoes today. Study of Osborn's thinking, however, has been obscured by the perception that racism influenced his theories. Brian Regal paints a different and more textured picture in this book - he shows that Osborn's views on race, like his political ideas, were motivated by his science, itself grounded in religious doctrine. His belief in the Central Asian origins of man, his role as an activist for eugenic reform and immigration controls, his support for Nordicism, his place in the 'New' versus 'Old' biology debate, his role in the Christian Fundamentalist controversy, the Scopes Monkey trial, and finally his construction of the 'Dawn Man' hypothesis - all stemmed from his desire to support his human evolution theory, and point the way to salvation. This biography charts Osborn's intellectual development, from its roots in the eclectic Christianity of his mother, through his student days with Arnold Guyot, James McCosh, and T.H. Huxley, to his mature work at the American Museum. It examines his trials and tribulations, friendships and conflicts, and the world in which he lived: all contributed to the construction of his theory. It is the dramatic story of a man holding onto ideas that for him represented the very meaning of life itself.

In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) authored the report Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward. In it, the Committee expressed the need for accreditation and certification. Accreditation, long recognized by public labs as an important benchmark in quality, was recognized as an important way to standardize laboratories that provide forensic services. Certification can play an important role as a method of oversight in the forensic sciences-something also recommended by the - National Commission on Forensic Science in October 2014. The Complete Guide to the ABC's Molecular Biology is a professional certification examination preparation text for forensic scientists taking the American Board of Criminalistics Examination in Molecular Biology. The book serves as a resource for forensic scientists-who are facing more and more pressure to become certified-to support them in their pursuit of forensic certification. In the years since the NAS report was published, there has been increased discussion of forensic certification requirements. ABC's Molecular Biology exam is a quality certification, and learning the concepts for it will invariably help any professional working in the field. The book prepares readers in all relevant topic areas, including: accreditation, safety, biological screen principles, anatomy and cell biology, crime scene and evidence handling, concepts in genetics, biochemistry, statistics, DNA evidence, and DNA testing. The book will be particularly helpful for forensic science laboratory technicians, police and investigations professionals, forensic serology and DNA analysts, attorneys, and forensic science students. This study guide follows the guidelines for the exam and presents all the information necessary to prepare individuals to pass the exam.

Advances in genetic technology in general and medical genetics in particular will enable us to intervene in the process of human biological development which extends from zygotes and embryos to people. This will allow us to control to a great extent the identities and the length and quality of the lives of people who already exist, as well as those we bring into existence in the near and distant future. "Genes and Future People" explores two general philosophical questions, one metaphysical, the other moral: (1) How do genes, and different forms of genetic intervention (gene therapy, genetic enhancement, presymptomatic genetic testing of adults, genetic testing of preimplantation embryos), affect the identities of the people who already exist and those we bring into existence? and (2) How do these interventions benefit or harm the people we cause to exist in the near future and those who will exist in the distant future by satisfying or defeating their interest in having reasonably long and disease-free lives?"Genes and Future People" begins by explaining the connection between genes and disease, placing genetic within a framework of evolutionary biology. It then discusses such topics as how genes and genetic intervention influence personal identity, what genetic testing of individuals and the knowledge resulting from it entails about responsibility to others who may be at risk, as well as how gene therapy and genetic enhancement can affect the identities of people and benefit or harm them. Furthermore, it discusses various moral aspects of cloning human beings and body parts. Finally, it explores the metaphysical and moral implications of genetic manipulation of the mechanisms of aging to extend the human life span.The aim "Genes and Future People" is to move philosophers, bioethicists, and readers in general to reflect on the extent to which genes determine whether we are healthy or diseased, our identities as persons, the quality of our lives, and our moral obligations to future generations of people.

Radiation-Processed Polysaccharides: Emerging Roles in Agriculture is the first book to focus exclusively on this emerging and important option for reducing the overuse and negative impact of agrochemicals in agriculture. Among practices being developed for effective and eco-friendly plant growth regulators in crop production, using radiation-processed polysaccharides (RPPs) is a promising technique. Comprised of chapters from diverse areas of plant science, including agriculture, agronomy, biotechnology, nanotechnology, molecular biology, and radiation agriculture, this book provides insights into the practical application of RPPs and inspires further research toward sustainable and efficient agricultural production. Polysaccharides (sodium alginate, carrageenan, chitosan and others) in their depolymerized state are increasingly important to agriculture based on their unique biological properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability and non-toxicity. Understanding the impact of RPPs on the plant phenotype, translocation of nutrients from source to sink, signal processing, and crosstalk helps improve the applicability of RPPs and sustainable agricultural yield.

Epigenetics in Psychiatry, Second Edition covers all major areas of psychiatry in which extensive epigenetic research has been performed, fully encompassing a diverse and maturing field, including drug addiction, bipolar disorder, epidemiology, cognitive disorders, and the uses of putative epigenetic-based psychotropic drugs. Uniquely, each chapter correlates epigenetics with relevant advances across genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. The book acts as a catalyst for further research in this growing area of psychiatry. This new edition has been fully revised to address recent advances in epigenetic understanding of psychiatric disorders, evoking data consortia (e.g., CommonMind, ATAC-seq), single cell analysis, and epigenome-wide association studies to empower new research. The book also examines epigenetic effects of the microbiome on psychiatric disorders, and the use of neuroimaging in studying the role of epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression. Ongoing advances in epigenetic therapy are explored in-depth.

The "Encyclopedia" includes 125 entries, beginning with the origins of genetics including historical background on the work of Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin, and progressing to the structure of DNA and modern theories such as selfish genes.
All branches of genetics are covered, including the genetics of bacteria, viruses, insects, animals and plants, as well as humans. Important topical issues such as the human genome project, bioethics, the law and genetics, genetic disorders, GM crops, and the use of transgenic animals for food and pharmaceutical products are fully surveyed. A section on techniques and biotechnology includes modern methods of analysis, from DNA fingerprinting to the new science of bioinformatics.
The articles, all written by specialists, are largely non-mathematical and progress from general concepts to deeper understanding. Each essay is fully referenced, with suggestions for further reading. The text is supplemented by extensive illustrations, tables and a color plate section.
The "Encyclopedia of Genetics" will be a valuable companion for all those working or studying in the various fields of genetical research, and a fascinating reference for all readers with a basic background in biology. Also includes color inserts.

Genome Stability: From Virus to Human Application, Second Edition, a volume in the Translational Epigenetics series, explores how various species maintain genome stability and genome diversification in response to environmental factors. Here, across thirty-eight chapters, leading researchers provide a deep analysis of genome stability in DNA/RNA viruses, prokaryotes, single cell eukaryotes, lower multicellular eukaryotes, and mammals, examining how epigenetic factors contribute to genome stability and how these species pass memories of encounters to progeny. Topics also include major DNA repair mechanisms, the role of chromatin in genome stability, human diseases associated with genome instability, and genome stability in response to aging. This second edition has been fully revised to address evolving research trends, including CRISPRs/Cas9 genome editing; conventional versus transgenic genome instability; breeding and genetic diseases associated with abnormal DNA repair; RNA and extrachromosomal DNA; cloning, stem cells, and embryo development; programmed genome instability; and conserved and divergent features of repair. This volume is an essential resource for geneticists, epigeneticists, and molecular biologists who are looking to gain a deeper understanding of this rapidly expanding field, and can also be of great use to advanced students who are looking to gain additional expertise in genome stability.

Life's Greatest Secret is the story of the discovery and cracking of the genetic code. This great scientific breakthrough has had far-reaching consequences for how we understand ourselves and our place in the natural world. The code forms the most striking proof of Darwin's hypothesis that all organisms are related, holds tremendous promise for improving human well-being, and has transformed the way we think about life. Matthew Cobb interweaves science, biography and anecdote in a book that mixes remarkable insights, theoretical dead-ends and ingenious experiments with the pace of a thriller. He describes cooperation and competition among some of the twentieth century's most outstanding and eccentric minds, moves between biology, physics and chemistry, and shows the part played by computing and cybernetics. The story spans the globe, from Cambridge MA to Cambridge UK, New York to Paris, London to Moscow. It is both thrilling science and a fascinating story about how science is done.

This innovative reference explores a wide selection of topics associated with aging, providing a solid understanding of the significance and molecular basis of the aging process and charting the course of future research in the area. Stresses the interplay of mitochondria, mitochondrial DNA, oxidants, and antioxidants! Featuring the research of over 55 experts in the area, Understanding the Process of Aging -covers the functions of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite in mitochondria -integrates several views on the role of mitochondria in the development of apoptosis -gives a quantitative analysis of mutations of mitochondrial DNA during human aging -highlights mitochondrial free radical production -introduces new roles of ubiquinone in mitochondrial functions -offers new antioxidant-based complementary therapeutic strategies -details aspects of intact cells and whole organisms in health and disease -and more! Featuring over 1800 references, tables, drawings, and photographs, Understanding the Process of Aging benefits nutritionists and dieticians, geriatricians, cell and molecular biologists, chemists and biochemists, pharmacologists, biotechnologists, neurologists, cardiologists, oncologists, dermatologists, and graduate and medical school students in these disciplines.

'I loved reading this book, gained further insight into the complexity of human life, and am inspried by the depth of thought, care and experience the author brings to her work. The book is practical, easy to read, rovesfreely between stories and concepts. The Ancestor Syndrome will appeal to anyne who values therapeutic intervention.' - ANZPA Journal

Experts from The Jackson Laboratory and around the world provide practical advice on everything from how to establish a colony to where to go for specific mutations. Systematic Approach to Evaluation of Mouse Mutations includes information on medical photography, grafting procedures, how to map the genes and evaluate the special biological characteristics of the mice.

The title of this book derives from C. Wright Mills' classic The Sociological Imagination (Penguin, 1970), in which he sees the essential project of social science as the use of the imagination to 'grasp history and biography and the relations between the two in society'. This enables the social scientist to 'range from the most impersonal and remote transformations to the most intimate features of the human self'. Another of Mills' concerns was the relationship between 'the personal troubles of the milieu' and 'the public issues of social structure' and these are most acutely illustrated in human genetics, the most personal of the new technologies. The chapters in this volume address these issues through discussions of choice and informed decision-making, risks and hazards, the economic and political organization of new technology, and the public as well as the scientist's understanding of science. The methods used range from detailed ethnographies, through deconstruction's of text and action, to surveys and interviews.

Genome Editing in Plants: Principles and Applications addresses the information of genome editing starting from principles and historical aspects to the latest advancements in the field. As genome-editing technology has emerged as promising and cutting edge, researchers around the world have started producing original research outputs, which have significantly improved our current understanding and potential of this technology. The initial chapters of this book describe different genome-editing tools as well as their principles and applications. Other chapters are dedicated to the present status and future applications of genome-editing techniques in various crop improvement programmes. Some of the advanced applications of CRISPR/Cas tools, such as base editing and RNA detection, along with regulatory aspects of genome-edited crops are described in detail. This book serves as a valuable resource to researchers in the field of crop improvement; graduate and postgraduate students engaged in plant molecular biology and biotechnology; academicians; and policy makers. Key Features: Addresses topics associated with historical development and principles of genome-editing technology Addresses basic mechanisms operating under each genome-editing technology Addresses its application in plants to design crops as per the current and future demands Addresses the regulatory mechanisms of genome-edited crops

Research on personality psychology is making important contributions to psychological science and applied psychology. This second edition of The Cambridge Handbook of Personality Psychology offers a one-stop resource for scientific personality psychology. It summarizes cutting-edge personality research in all its forms, including genetics, psychometrics, social-cognitive psychology, and real-world expressions, with informative and lively chapters that also highlight some areas of controversy. The team of renowned international authors, led by two esteemed editors, ensures a wide range of theoretical perspectives. Each research area is discussed in terms of scientific foundations, main theories and findings, and future directions for research. The handbook also features advances in technology, such as molecular genetics and functional neuroimaging, as well as contemporary statistical approaches. An invaluable aid to understanding the central role played by personality in psychology, it will appeal to students, researchers, and practitioners in psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and the social sciences.

Bittersweet Destiny combines discourse on the evolution of human behavior with a philosophical perspective. It explores evolutionary theory aimed at determining human behavior. Del Thiessen presents this material against the broad background of everyday life, allowing the reader to see the theory of evolution as it has shaped his or her own behavior. However, he points out that when evolutionary theory is aimed at human behavior, the critics object, and controversy results.

Thiessen argues that nothing in our lives makes sense unless we look at it through a biological lens. We can thereby understand our origin, our affiliation with all animals and plants, and our cultural destination. However, we can also discover a dark side to our destiny--our favoritism to those who share our own genes, our ability to deceive, and our capacity for abuse, rape, and murder. Good, bad, and indifferent, we serve the replication of our DNA. Critics extrapolate evolutionary theory to a wide range of animal species, and even human morphology and physiology, but when the same perspective is applied to human behavior there is strong dissent. What these critics fear, according to Thiessen, is that accepting evolutionary notions about human behavior strikes at the heart of free will, self-determination, and social equality.

Bittersweet Destiny describes the heroic efforts of naturalists Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace to unlock the secrets of evolution. It continues with a vivid description of our fossil history and our chance beginnings. From there the story implicates disease processes in evolution, highlights our rational and irrational nature, focuses on those characteristics of brain evolution and language that make us distinctive, and illustrates our most basic survival and reproductive mechanisms. Thiessen warns the reader that things are as they are no matter what we might wish; we ignore facts and controversy at our own risk. This book will be significant to anthropologists, psychologists, biologists, and sociologists.

This book documents and critically analyses the photographs that helped to strengthen as well as bring down the eugenics movement. Using a large body of racial-type images and a variety of historical and archival sources, and concentrating mainly on developments in Britain, the USA and Nazi Germany, this book explains how photography, as the most powerful visual medium of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, was vital to the eugenics movement's success -- not only did it allow eugenicists to identify the people with superior and inferior hereditary traits, but it helped publicise and lend scientific authority to eugenicists' racial theories. The author argues for a strong connection between the racial-type photographs that eugenicists created and the photographic images produced by nineteenth-century anthropologists and prison authorities, and how the photographic works of contemporary liberal anthropologists played a significant role in the eugenics movement's downfall. Besides adding to our knowledge of photography's crucial role in helping to authorise and implement some of the most controversial social policies of modem times, this book makes a major contribution to our understanding of the history of racism. The book looks at eugenics from the standpoint of its most significant cultural data -- racial-type photography, investigating the techniques, media forms, and styles of photography used by eugenicists, and relating these to their racial theories and their social policies and goals. It demonstrates how the visual archive was crucially constitutive of eugenic racial science because it helped make many of its concepts appear both intuitive as well as scientifically legitimate.

Advances in Cancer Research, Volume 150, the latest release in this ongoing series, covers the relationship(s) between autophagy and senescence, how they are defined, and the influence of these cellular responses on tumor dormancy and disease recurrence. Specific sections in this new release include Autophagy and senescence, converging roles in pathophysiology, Cellular senescence and tumor promotion: role of the unfolded protein response, autophagy and senescence in cancer stem cells, Targeting the stress support network regulated by autophagy and senescence for cancer treatment, Autophagy and PTEN in DNA damage-induced senescence, mTOR as a senescence manipulation target: A forked road, and more.

Bacteria in various habitats are subject to continuously changing environmental conditions, such as nutrient deprivation, heat and cold stress, UV radiation, oxidative stress, dessication, acid stress, nitrosative stress, cell envelope stress, heavy metal exposure, osmotic stress, and others. In order to survive, they have to respond to these conditions by adapting their physiology through sometimes drastic changes in gene expression. In addition they may adapt by changing their morphology, forming biofilms, fruiting bodies or spores, filaments, Viable But Not Culturable (VBNC) cells or moving away from stress compounds via chemotaxis. Changes in gene expression constitute the main component of the bacterial response to stress and environmental changes, and involve a myriad of different mechanisms, including (alternative) sigma factors, bi- or tri-component regulatory systems, small non-coding RNA s, chaperones, CHRIS-Cas systems, DNA repair, toxin-antitoxin systems, the stringent response, efflux pumps, alarmones, and modulation of the cell envelope or membranes, to name a few. Many regulatory elements are conserved in different bacteria; however there are endless variations on the theme and novel elements of gene regulation in bacteria inhabiting particular environments are constantly being discovered. Especially in (pathogenic) bacteria colonizing the human body a plethora of bacterial responses to innate stresses such as pH, reactive nitrogen and oxygen species and antibiotic stress are being described. An attempt is made to not only cover model systems but give a broad overview of the stress-responsive regulatory systems in a variety of bacteria, including medically important bacteria, where elucidation of certain aspects of these systems could lead to treatment strategies of the pathogens. Many of the regulatory systems being uncovered are specific, but there is also considerable cross-talk between different circuits. Stress and Environmental Regulation of Gene Expression and Adaptation in Bacteria is a comprehensive two-volume work bringing together both review and original research articles on key topics in stress and environmental control of gene expression in bacteria. Volume One contains key overview chapters, as well as content on one/two/three component regulatory systems and stress responses, sigma factors and stress responses, small non-coding RNAs and stress responses, toxin-antitoxin systems and stress responses, stringent response to stress, responses to UV irradiation, SOS and double stranded systems repair systems and stress, adaptation to both oxidative and osmotic stress, and desiccation tolerance and drought stress. Volume Two covers heat shock responses, chaperonins and stress, cold shock responses, adaptation to acid stress, nitrosative stress, and envelope stress, as well as iron homeostasis, metal resistance, quorum sensing, chemotaxis and biofilm formation, and viable but not culturable (VBNC) cells. Covering the full breadth of current stress and environmental control of gene expression studies and expanding it towards future advances in the field, these two volumes are a one-stop reference for (non) medical molecular geneticists interested in gene regulation under stress.

The analysis and interpretation of data is fundamental to the subject of genetics and forms a compulsory part of the undergraduate genetics curriculum. Indeed, the key skills that a genetics student requires are an ability to design and understand experimental strategies and to use problem-solving skills to interpret experimental results and data. Genetics? No Problem! provides students with a graded set of problems that aim to enthuse, challenge and entertain the reader. The book is divided into three sections introductory; intermediate and advanced each with 10 problems. For first level students there will be short genetics problems embedded in a wide range of scenarios, such as murder mysteries. As the book progresses, the stories will get longer and the science will get progressively more complex to challenge final year students and enable the reader to identify genetic disease in obscure organisms as well as designing and testing treatments and cures. Genetics? No Problem!: * Takes a unique, innovative approach that provides students with a set of graded problems designed to develop both their skills, and their ability to tackle problems with confidence * Includes problems embedded in a narrative, written in an interesting, informative and entertaining style by an Author with a proven track record in teaching, research and communication * Is well illustrated in full colour throughout. The book will prove invaluable to all students of genetics across a range of disciplines needing to get to grips with the analysis and interpretation of data that is fundamental to the subject.

Wild Germplasm for Genetic Improvement in Crop Plants addresses the need for an integrated reference on a wide variety of crop plants, facilitating comparison and contrast, as well as providing relevant relationships for future research and development. The book presents the genetic and natural history value of wild relatives, covers what wild relatives exist, explores the existing knowledge regarding specific relatives and the research surrounding them and identifies knowledge gaps. As understanding the role of crop wild relatives in plant breeding expands the genetic pool for abiotic and biotic stress resistance, this is an ideal reference on this important topic.

Genetic disease contributes to a major portion of our health care costs. While most of the human genetic burden is transmitted from generation to generation, environmental chemicals capable of reacting with germ cell DNA could produce new mutations, resulting in an even greater genetic liability for the next generation. The potential impact of environmental mutagens on the health and viability of other living things is important to consider as well.
Methods for Genetic Risk Assessment features contributions from international experts to provide a comprehensive review of the current status of genetic risk assessment. You'll learn about various methods and strategies for when and how to conduct genetic risk assessments on human populations. You will also learn about the potential effects of environmental genotoxins on nonhuman organisms. Topics considered include:

Biologist James Watson and physicist Francis Crick’s 1953 revelation about the double helix structure of DNA is the foundation of virtually every advance in our modern understanding of genetics and molecular biology. But how did Watson and Crick do it—and why were they the ones who succeeded? In truth, the discovery of DNA’s structure is the story of a race among five scientists for advancement, fame and immortality: Watson, Crick, Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins and Linus Pauling. They were fascinating and brilliant, with strong personalities that often clashed. But it is Rosalind Franklin who becomes a focal point for Howard Markel. The Secret of Life is a story of genius and perseverance but also a saga of cronyism, misogyny, anti-Semitism and misconduct. Markel brilliantly recounts the intense intellectual journey—and the fraught personal relationships—that resulted in the discovery of DNA.

The study of evolution at the molecular level has given the subject of evolutionary biology a new significance. Phylogenetic 'trees' of gene sequences are a powerful tool for recovering evolutionary relationships among species, and can be used to answer a broad range of evolutionary and ecological questions. They are also beginning to permeate the medical sciences. In this book, the authors approach the study of molecular evolution with the phylogenetic tree as a central metaphor. This will equip students and professionals with the ability to see both the evolutionary relevance of molecular data, and the significance evolutionary theory has for molecular studies. The book is accessible yet sufficiently detailed and explicit so that the student can learn the mechanics of the procedures discussed. The book is intended for senior undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in molecular evolution/phylogenetic reconstruction. It will also be a useful supplement for students taking wider courses in evolution, as well as a valuable resource for professionals.
First student textbook of phylogenetic reconstruction which uses the tree as a central metaphor of evolution.
Chapter summaries and annotated suggestions for further reading.
Worked examples facilitate understanding of some of the more complex issues.
Emphasis on clarity and accessibility.

The Beans and the Peas: From Orphan to Mainstream Crops presents a comprehensive literature resource on the most important food legume crops previously known as "orphans," but which are increasingly becoming mainstream as their production opportunities have been improved through genetic improvement and biotechnology, and their role as an important nutrient source gains urgency. This book focuses on 12 important food legumes and discusses all relevant aspects on their economic importance, crop statistics, botany, and their general description. It also provides exhaustive information on plant genetic resources and their use, genetic improvement, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, improved varieties, agronomy, seed system, and use of information and communication tools in each individual food legume. Development of innovative biotechnological tools, genetic transformation, and the genome sequencing information has also been covered in each chapter providing the readers with state-of-the-art information on pulses. All chapters have been supported by relevant figures, illustrations, and tables, which make the contents accessible and easy to understand. Each of the chapters has been authored by globally known scientists/researchers presenting up-to-date information on various aspects of food legumes. This book provides a current and comprehensive treatise to the readers and will be tremendously helpful in furthering their academic and research pursuits.