Winner of the 2014 Diamond Anniversary Book Award Finalist for the 2014 National Communications Association Critical and Cultural Studies Division Book of the Year Award In 2000, the National Human Genome Research Institute announced the completion of a "draft" of the human genome, the sequence information of nearly all 3 billion base pairs of DNA. Since then, interest in the hereditary basis of disease has increased considerably. In The Material Gene, Kelly E. Happe considers the broad implications of this development by treating "heredity" as both a scientific and political concept. Beginning with the argument that eugenics was an ideological project that recast the problems of industrialization as pathologies of gender, race, and class, the book traces the legacy of this ideology in contemporary practices of genomics. Delving into the discrete and often obscure epistemologies and discursive practices of genomic scientists, Happe maps the ways in which the hereditarian body, one that is also normatively gendered and racialized, is the new site whereby economic injustice, environmental pollution, racism, and sexism are implicitly reinterpreted as pathologies of genes and by extension, the bodies they inhabit. Comparing genomic approaches to medicine and public health with discourses of epidemiology, social movements, and humanistic theories of the body and society, The Material Gene reworks our common assumption of what might count as effective, just, and socially transformative notions of health and disease.

This book offers an essential introduction to the latest advances in delayed genetic regulatory networks (GRNs) and presents cutting-edge work on the analysis and design of delayed GRNs in which the system parameters are subject to uncertain, stochastic and/or parameter-varying changes. Specifically, the types examined include delayed switching GRNs, delayed stochastic GRNs, delayed reaction-diffusion GRNs, delayed discrete-time GRNs, etc. In addition, the solvability of stability analysis, control and estimation problems involving delayed GRNs are addressed in terms of linear matrix inequality or M-matrix tests. The book offers a comprehensive reference guide for researchers and practitioners working in system sciences and applied mathematics, and a valuable source of information for senior undergraduates and graduates in these areas. Further, it addresses a gap in the literature by providing a unified and concise framework for the analysis and design of delayed GRNs.

International concern over the threat to species and ecosystems caused by human activities is at an all time high, which may result in high costs to present and future generations. The economic costs and benefits associated with the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources of actual or potential value for food and agriculture is largely unknown. Economic instruments that can encourage implementation of socially optimal genetic resource conservation strategies as well as the sharing of the real benefits and costs are a useful measurement tool. This book is an edited compilation of papers from the Symposium on the Economics of Valuation and Conservation of Genetic Resources for Agriculture held in Rome in May 1996. It addresses some of the key issues involved in the estimation of the economic value of conserving genetic resources for agriculture. It covers the modelling of the value of Plant Genetic Resources (PGRs), empirical studies of PGRs (including field diversity and yield vulnerability), seven empirical studies of PGR breeding values, property rights in PGRs and the implications of modern biotechnology methods for PGR values. The book will be essential reading for workers in agricultural economics, plant breeding and genetics, and biodiversity and conservation.

The free exchange of microbial genetic information is an established public good, facilitating research on medicines, agriculture, and climate change. However, over the past quarter-century, access to genetic resources has been hindered by intellectual property claims from developed countries under the World Trade Organization's TRIPS Agreement (1994) and by claims of sovereign rights from developing countries under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (1992). In this volume, the authors examine the scientific community's responses to these obstacles and advise policymakers on how to harness provisions of the Nagoya Protocol (2010) that allow multilateral measures to support research. By pooling microbial materials, data, and literature in a carefully designed transnational e-infrastructure, the scientific community can facilitate access to essential research assets while simultaneously reinforcing the open access movement. The original empirical surveys of responses to the CBD included here provide a valuable addition to the literature on governing scientific knowledge commons.

Bioinformatics is an integrative field of computer science, genetics, genomics, proteomics, and statistics, which has undoubtedly revolutionized the study of biology and medicine in past decades. It mainly assists in modeling, predicting and interpreting large multidimensional biological data by utilizing advanced computational methods. Despite its enormous potential, bioinformatics is not widely integrated into the academic curriculum as most life science students and researchers are still not equipped with the necessary knowledge to take advantage of this powerful tool. Hence, the primary purpose of our book is to supplement this unmet need by providing an easily accessible platform for students and researchers starting their career in life sciences. This book aims to avoid sophisticated computational algorithms and programming. Instead, it mostly focuses on simple DIY analysis and interpretation of biological data with personal computers. Our belief is that once the beginners acquire these basic skillsets, they will be able to handle most of the bioinformatics tools for their research work and to better understand their experimental outcomes. Unlike other bioinformatics books which are mostly theoretical, this book provides practical examples for the readers on state-of-the-art open source tools to solve biological problems. Flow charts of experiments, graphical illustrations, and mock data are included for quick reference. Volume I is therefore an ideal companion for students and early stage professionals wishing to master this blooming field.

This volume focuses on various approaches to studying long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), including techniques for finding lncRNAs, localization, and observing their functions. The chapters in this book cover how to catalog lncRNAs in various plant species; determining subcellular localization; protein interactions; structures; and RNA modifications. Written in the highly 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 laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and innovative, Plant Long Non-Coding RNAs: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource that aids researchers in understanding the functions of lncRNAs in different plant species, and helps them explore currently uncharted facets of plant biology.

This book compiles and explores cutting-edge research in degenerative skeletal disorders, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and congenital myopathy, and new stem-cell based therapies and gene replacement therapy. Twelve expertly-authored chapters navigate the nuances of these treatments in an array of contexts and biological systems. The topics covered include: How are urine cells from a patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy transformed into beating heart cells? What can reprogrammed cells tell us about heart muscle failure? What do gene mutations mean for those born with a muscle disease? How are manufacturing methods applied to human stem cells? Does therapeutic exercise benefit those patients who receive engineered limb muscle? Is there practical advice about nutrition to enhance muscle function for the Duchenne patient? Can microRNAs be useful to regenerate diseased muscle? Regenerative Medicine for Degenerative Muscle Diseases is ideal for scientists and clinicians from varying disciplines in genetics, cell biology, virology, cell-based manufacturing, rehabilitation medicine, nutrition, veterinary medicine and neurosurgery. The reader will see how transformative changes occur in medicine that can powerfully impact the future for patients suffering from inherited disorders affecting muscles of the body, including the heart.

This book provides an update of recent advances in the basic and clinical applications of cell-based therapies for myocardial repair and regeneration in ischemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure (HF). The first sections of the book illuminate basic aspects of stem cells such as definitions, isolation criteria and characterization of embryonic and adult stem cells, as well as pluripotent stem cells and tissue specific progenitor and stem cells. In the following section, the text examines the role of critical regulators of stem cell differentiation in myocardial regeneration, that include circadian rhythyms, microRNAs, epigenetics, microvescicles, and exosomes. The text concludes with a review of the use of stem/progenitor cells in cardiac regeneration and discuss current controversies, unresolved issues, challenges, and future directions. Stem Cells and Cardiac Regeneration is addressed to a wide audience consisting of cardiologists, clinicians, and research scientists, who will learn new concepts in cardiovascular regeneration and repair with special focus on molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential for cardiovascular regeneration.

White biotechnology, or industrial biotechnology as it is also known, refers to the use of living cells and/or their enzymes to create industrial products that are more easily degradable, require less energy, create less waste during production and sometimes perform better than products created using traditional chemical processes. Over the last decade considerable progress has been made in white biotechnology research, and further major scientific and technological breakthroughs are expected in the future. Fungi are ubiquitous in nature and have been sorted out from different habitats, including extreme environments (high temperature, low temperature, salinity and pH), and may be associated with plants (epiphytic, endophytic and rhizospheric). The fungal strains are beneficial as well as harmful for human beings. The beneficial fungal strains may play important roles in the agricultural, industrial, and medical sectors. The fungal strains and their products (enzymes, bioactive compounds, and secondary metabolites) are very useful for industry (e.g., the discovery of penicillin from Penicillium chrysogenum). This discovery was a milestone in the development of white biotechnology as the industrial production of penicillin and antibiotics using fungi moved industrial biotechnology into the modern era, transforming it into a global industrial technology. Since then, white biotechnology has steadily developed and now plays a key role in several industrial sectors, providing both high value nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products. The fungal strains and bioactive compounds also play an important role in environmental cleaning. This volume covers the latest developments and research in white biotechnology with a focus on diversity and enzymes.

This fully updated second edition explores protocols that address the most challenging aspects of experimental work in ancient DNA, such as preparing ancient samples for DNA extraction, the DNA extraction itself, and transforming extracted ancient DNA molecules for sequencing library preparation. The volume also examines the analysis of high-throughput sequencing data recovered from ancient specimens, which, because of the degraded nature of ancient DNA and common co-extraction of contaminant DNA, has challenges that are unique compared to data recovered from modern specimens.Written in the highly 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 laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Ancient DNA: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition aims to serve both experts and beginners by presenting protocols in a manner that makes them easily accessible for everyday use in the lab.

This book discusses the latest developments in plant-mediated fabrication of metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles, and their characterization by using a variety of modern techniques. It explores in detail the application of nanoparticles in drug delivery, cancer treatment, catalysis, and as antimicrobial agent, antioxidant and the promoter of plant production and protection. Application of these nanoparticles in plant systems has started only recently and information is still scanty about their possible effects on plant growth and development. Accumulation and translocation of nanoparticles in plants, and the consequent growth response and stress modulation are not well understood. Plants exposed to these particles exhibit both positive and negative effects, depending on the concentration, size, and shape of the nanoparticles. The impact on plant growth and yield is often positive at lower concentrations and negative at higher ones. Exposure to some nanoparticles may improve the free-radical scavenging potential and antioxidant enzymatic activities in plants and alter the micro-RNAs expression that regulate the different morphological, physiological and metabolic processes in plant system, leading to improved plant growth and yields. The nanoparticles also carry out genetic reforms by efficient transfer of DNA or complete plastid genome into the respective plant genome due to their miniscule size and improved site-specific penetration. Moreover, controlled application of nanomaterials in the form of nanofertilizer offers a more synchronized nutrient fluidity with the uptake by the plant exposed, ensuring an increased nutrient availability. This book addresses these issues and many more. It covers fabrication of different/specific nanomaterials and their wide-range application in agriculture sector, encompassing the controlled release of nutrients, nutrient-use efficiency, genetic exchange, production of secondary metabolites, defense mechanisms, and the growth and productivity of plants exposed to different manufactured nanomaterials. The role of nanofertilizers and nano-biosensors for improving plant production and protection and the possible toxicities caused by certain nanomaterials, the aspects that are little explored by now, have also been generously elucidated.

Disorders of Protein Synthesis, Volume 132 in the Advances in Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters written by an international board of authors.

This book addresses various aspects of the current castor bean research, including genetics, biotechnology, comparative genomics, and more specific topics such as oil metabolism and the ricin toxin. It also presents the whole genome sequencing of the castor bean and its impact on the mining of gene families and future plant breeding. Castor bean (Ricinus communis), an oilseed plant, belongs to the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family. It is a tropical and subtropical crop valued for the high quality and uniform nature of its oil, which is mostly composed of the uncommon fatty acid ricinoleate. Castor bean oil has important industrial applications for the production of lubricants, cosmetics, medicines, and specialty chemicals, and castor bean has also been proposed as a biodiesel crop that does not pose concerns regarding the "food versus fuel" debate. However, it accumulates the type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein ricin in its seeds, and health concerns posed by ricin's high toxicity have prevented broader cultivation. Recently, there has been renewed interest in castor bean due to potential biosecurity issues.

This book provides an overview of the types, sources, and applications of stem cells in regenerating various ocular tissues, with a perspective on both potential applications of stem cells and possible challenges. The scope of the chapters include both preclinical and clinical applications, including stem cell-derived therapies based on endogenous tissue repair; stem cell transplantation and cell replacement therapy; gene therapy; and in vitro disease modelling. Additionally, the volume presents applications in both anterior and posterior ocular disease, with a particular focus on diseases of the ocular surface, cornea, limbus, and retina, including inherited retinal dystrophies as well as acquired diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration. Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Therapy for the Eye is an ideal book for advanced researchers in stem cell and ocular biology as well as clinical ophthalmologists, and will be of interest to readers with backgrounds in developmental biology and bioengineering. This book also Skillfully reviews cutting-edge advances in stem cell biology as applied to regenerative medicine and ocular disease Provides expert viewpoints on key hurdles and challenges to successful implementation of stem cell-derived therapies in the clinical domain Offers a multi-disciplinary, broad understanding of cell-based therapies for ocular diseases by incorporating perspectives from biomedical scientists, physicians, and engineers Examines the connection between cell therapy and gene editing, in particular relation to ocular disease

This book contains complete information on Capsicum genetic resources, diversity, evolution, history and advances in capsicum improvement from classical breeding to whole genome sequencing, genomics, databases and its impact on next generation pepper breeding. Capsicum is one of the most important Solanaceae crops grown worldwide as vegetables and spices. Due to its high economic value and to meet the demands of enormous population growth amid biotic and abiotic stresses, there has been an ongoing breeding program utilizing available genetic resources with desired traits to increase the sustainable productivity of this crop for several decades. However, the precision breeding of this crop for desired traits only started with the advent of molecular markers. The recent advances in high-throughput genome sequencing technologies helped in the quick decoding of transcriptome, epigenome, nuclear and organeller genomes, thereby enhancing our understanding of the structure and function of the Capsicum genome, and helping in genomics assisted breeding. These advanced technologies coupled with conventional mapping have greatly contributed towards dissection and manipulation of economically important traits more precisely and made less time consuming.

'Behavioral Neuroscience of Learning and Memory' brings together the opinions and expertise of some of the world's foremost neuroscientists in the field of learning and memory research. The volume provides a broad coverage of contemporary research and thinking in this field, focusing both on well established topics such as the medial temporal lobe memory system, as well as emerging areas of research such as the role of memory in decision making and the mechanisms of perceptual learning. Key intersecting themes include the molecular and cellular mechanisms of memory formation, the multiplicity of memory systems in the brain, and the way in which technological innovation is driving discovery. Unusually for a volume of this kind, this volume brings together research from both humans and animals-often relatively separate areas of discourse-to give a more comprehensive and integrated view of the field. The book will be of interest to both established researchers who wish to broaden their knowledge of topics outside of their specific areas of expertise, and for students who need a resource to help them make sense of the vast scientific literature on this subject.

This book presents and discusses recent scientific progress on Cell and Stem Cell Engineering. It predominantly focuses on Biological, Physical and Technical Basics, and features new trends of research reaching far into the 21st century.

Genetics has transformed plant pathology on two occasions: first when Mendelian genetics enabled the discovery that disease resistance was a heritable trait in plants, and secondly when Flor proposed the "gene-for-gene" hypothesis to explain his observations of plant-parasite interactions, based on his work on flax rust in North Dakota starting in the 1930s. Our knowledge of the genetics of disease resistance and host-pathogen coevolution is now entering a new phase as a result of the cloning of the first resistance genes. This book provides a broad review of recent developments in this important and expanding subject. Both agricultural and natural host-pathogen situations are addressed. While most of the book focuses on plant pathology, in the usual sense of the term embracing fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens, there is also consideration of parasitic plants and a chapter demonstrating lessons to be learnt from the mammalian immune system. Three overall themes are addressed: genetic analyses and utilization of resistance; population genetics; and cell biology and molecular genetics. Chapters are based on papers presented at the British Society for Plant Pathology Presidential meeting held in December 1995, but all have been revised and updated to mid-1996. Written by leading authorities from North America, Europe and Australia, the book represents an essential update for workers in plant genetics, breeding, biotechnology and pathology.

Population genomics has revolutionized various disciplines of biology including population, evolutionary, ecological and conservation genetics, plant and animal breeding, human health, medicine and pharmacology by allowing to address novel and long-standing questions with unprecedented power and accuracy. It employs large-scale or genome-wide genetic information and bioinformatics to address various fundamental and applied aspects in biology and related disciplines, and provides a comprehensive genome-wide perspective and new insights that were not possible before. These advances have become possible due to the development of new and low-cost sequencing and genotyping technologies and novel statistical approaches and software, bioinformatics tools, and models. Population genomics is tremendously advancing our understanding the roles of evolutionary processes, such as mutation, genetic drift, gene flow, and natural selection, in shaping up genetic variation at individual loci and across the genome and populations; improving the assessment of population genetic parameters or processes such as adaptive evolution, effective population size, gene flow, admixture, inbreeding and outbreeding depression, demography, and biogeography; resolving evolutionary histories and phylogenetic relationships of extant, ancient and extinct species; understanding the genomic basis of fitness, adaptation, speciation, complex ecological and economically important traits, and disease and insect resistance; facilitating forensics, genetic medicine and pharmacology; delineating conservation genetic units; and understanding the genetic effects of resource management practices, and assisting conservation and sustainable management of genetic resources. This Population Genomics book discusses the concepts, approaches, applications and promises of population genomics in addressing most of the above fundamental and applied crucial aspects in a variety of organisms from microorganisms to humans. The book provides insights into a range of emerging population genomics topics including population epigenomics, landscape genomics, seascape genomics, paleogenomics, ecological and evolutionary genomics, biogeography, demography, speciation, admixture, colonization and invasion, genomic selection, and plant and animal domestication. This book fills a vacuum in the field and is expected to become a primary reference in Population Genomics world-wide.

Population genomics is a rapidly emerging field that has the potential to transform our understanding of how evolutionary forces shape genomic diversity among microbes. There have already been considerable advances in understanding gene flow and spread of adaptive traits, and in linking epidemiology with evolutionary biology. The current challenge is to find unifying evolutionary principles for organisms that display a wide range of reproductive biology - from highly clonal to promiscuous - and for which the vast majority have eluded cultivation. This requires interdisciplinary approaches that incorporate novel computational tools, testing of existing and novel population genetic models, and creative new ways of linking genetic diversity to ecological factors. This pioneering book will discuss the advances made and promises of population genomics in microorganisms, outlining some of the key theoretical and practical challenges for microbial population genomics, including defining and identifying populations, genomics-based reverse ecology and building appropriate tools to understand microbes in a variety of complex environments.

This book reviews stem cell behavior in the lung as it relates to regenerative medicine and stem cell therapeutics. Topics ranging from basic developmental mechanisms of various types of lung stem cells through the identification and properties of stem cell behavior and their potential applications in lung repair and regeneration, are discussed by an expert in the field. These discoveries are placed within the structural context of tissue and developmental biology in sections dealing with recent advances in understanding of developmental lung stem cell biology and behavior and their potential applications. Lung Stem Cell Behavior is essential reading for researchers in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, patient advocates, undergraduate students, graduate students, and clinicians interested in cellular therapy and tissue engineering therapies.

Following the Third Alcohol and Cancer Conference, this volume compiles the most up-to-date research on the role of alcohol consumption in carcinogenesis, from epidemiology to pathology metabolism and stem cells. More specifically, it delves into the effects of alcohol consumption and thyroid cancer, CD133+ progenitor cells, carcinogenic iron accumulation, developmental morphogens, and cancer-inducing epigenetic changes. Alcohol and Cancer: Proceedings of the Third International Conference is a timely update to Biological Basis of Alcohol-Induced Cancer, which followed the Second Alcohol and Cancer Conference, compiling cutting-edge research from graduate students, young scientists, and researchers. It is ideal for graduate students and researchers in oncology, hepatology, epigenetics, and alcohol consumption.

This book reviews the latest biotechnological advances with pluripotent stem cells, exploring their application in tissue engineering and medicinal chemistry. Chapters from expert contributors cover topics such as the production of transgene-free induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), expansion, controlled differentiation and programming of pluripotent stem cells, and their genetic instability. Particular attention is given to the application of the pluripotent stem cells for vascularision of engineered tissue and for drug screening. This book will appeal to researchers working in regenerative medicine and drug discovery, and to bioengineers and professionals interested in stem cell research.

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.

Much research has focused on the basic cellular and molecular biological aspects of stem cells. Much of this research has been fueled by their potential for use in regenerative medicine applications, which has in turn spurred growing numbers of translational and clinical studies. However, more work is needed if the potential is to be realized for improvement of the lives and well-being of patients with numerous diseases and conditions. With a goal to accelerate advances by timely information exchange, this new book series 'Cell Biology and Translational Medicine (CBTMED)' as part of SpringerNature's longstanding and very successful Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series is launched. Emerging areas of regenerative medicine and translational aspects of stem cells will be covered in each volume. Outstanding researchers are recruited to highlight developments and remaining challenges in both the basic research and clinical arenas. This current book is the first volume of a continuing series.