This text highlights the endogenous regenerative potential of the central nervous system in neonates and juveniles and discusses possible ways it might be manipulated for medical purposes. The first section provides a descriptive summary of the salient steps of human brain development with a discussion of comparisons with other mammalian brains. It also provides a historical perspective on our understanding of ongoing brain development throughout the lifespan and serve to introduce the concept of brain plasticity following injury. The second part is devoted to the endogenous reparative potential of the brain, including its limitations, and articles focusing on defined pathologies (e.g. anoxia/hypoxia, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury and stress) in animal models and in humans pinpoint eventual ways these pathologies might be manipulated. The third and final focuses on the "dark side" of stem cells for brain repair or of the manipulation of spontaneous adaptive events after injury (e.g. genomic instability, sensitization to cancerous transformation and defective neural networks).

Extensive research conducted by the Hasso Plattner Design Thinking Research Program at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, USA, and the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany, has yielded valuable insights on why and how design thinking works. The participating researchers have identified metrics, developed models, and conducted studies, which are featured in this book, and in the previous volumes of this series. This volume provides readers with tools to bridge the gap between research and practice in design thinking with varied real world examples. Several different approaches to design thinking are presented in this volume. Acquired frameworks are leveraged to understand design thinking team dynamics. The contributing authors lead the reader through new approaches and application fields and show that design thinking can tap the potential of digital technologies in a human-centered way. In a final section, new ideas in neurodesign at Stanford University and at Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam are elaborated upon thereby challenging the reader to consider newly developed methodologies and provide discussion of how these insights can be applied to various sectors. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the mechanisms underlying design thinking at the individual and team levels. Design thinking can be learned. It has a methodology that can be observed across multiple settings and accordingly, the reader can adopt new frameworks to modify and update existing practice. The research outcomes compiled in this book are intended to inform and provide inspiration for all those seeking to drive innovation - be they experienced design thinkers or newcomers.

The central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, has a high metabolic demand. The physiology of the brain is such that it is easily affected by alterations in other systems, which in turn can compromise cerebral blood flow and oxygenation. Together the brain and spinal cord control the automatic function of our body systems. While other systems of body controls individual functions, central nervous system at the same time does many different functions, especially, controlling the function of other systems. This interaction between the brain and other systems is important when it comes to understanding how injuries to the brain can, at times, produce complications in remote organs or systems of the body, such as the lungs. This book explains the lesser-known crosstalks between acutely or chronically affected brain and lung, describing the pathophysiology of the lung following brain injury and discussing in detail the conflicts between the brain and lungs in relation to the tidal volumes, positive end-expiratory pressures, arterial carbon dioxide and oxygen levels, recruitment maneuvers and positioning, as well as potential therapeutic targets.

The technical advances in molecular biology have endowed us with a wealth of knowledge, which has allowed us to identify the cause of diseases not only at a single gene level but at a greater magnitude, where a substitution or deletion of a single base pair can be identified. Our present task is to establish a clear link between phenotype and nucleotide sequence. Obviously, a gene is no longer an imaginary entity. Recent discoveries in a number of bewildering traits, whose inheritance do not follow simple mendelian rules, have caused much amazement. For example, fragile X-syndrome, spine and bulbar muscular atrophy and myotic dystrophy arise from "triples repeat mutation" and amplification in future generations. Genetic diseases which are inherited, can now be diagnosed prenatally; an idea that was once inconceivable.
The aim of the second volume, entitled Morbid Anatomy of the Genome, is to reflect on the importance of molecular genetics in modern medicine. The field has expanded so as to warrant a volume dedicated exclusively toward understanding those who wish to know the cause, detection and in turn treatment of such diseases. In this volume, I have commissioned several scientists to contribute 12 chapters. A chapter describing a special role of molecular genetics in combating genetic diseases through gene therapy has also been included, while chapter 13 is a commentary.
A complete account of all diseases whose genetic basis is well established would be a herculean task and is not within the scope of a single volume format. Therefore a few specific topics have been chosen which may be of the greatest interest to scientists and clinicians. The purpose of this issue is to keep abreast of the latest developments in a select group of genetic diseases.

Animal models and tests have become increasingly important for biomedical research, enabling a better understanding of pathogenic pathways involved in various human disorders. Over the last decades, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have become a very popular model organism in biomedical research. Recently, this fish has entered the waters of neuroscience and biological psychiatry, quickly becoming an indispensable model species in this field. With a high genetic homology to humans (~75% based on coding regions), it is not surprising that humans and fish are very similar physiologically (and behaviorally). Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that zebrafish can be an excellent model of human neuropsychiatric disorders. While some classical psychiatrists may not too easily be persuaded by this generalization, the current book "The rights and wrongs of zebrafish: principles of behavioral phenotyping and CNS disease modeling" explains, in a domain-by-domain manner, how exactly zebrafish models can be used to target a wide range of human brain disorders and aberrant phenotypes. The contributors to this book are leading international scholars whose work spearheads innovative zebrafish neuroscience research around the world. Written by top experts in the field, this book makes for a useful, balanced and up-to-date reading that outlines the use of zebrafish to study the pathological mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders.

This book presents 19 selected contributions to the 20th Evolutionary Biology Meeting in Marseille, which took place in September 2016. They are grouped under the following major themes: * Self/Nonself Evolution * Species Evolution and Evolution of Complex Traits * Methods and Concepts The aims of the annual meetings in Marseille - which bring together leading evolutionary biologists and other scientists using evolutionary biology concepts, e.g. for medical research - are to promote the exchange of ideas and to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations. Offering a revealing overview of the latest findings in the field of evolutionary biology, this book represents an invaluable source of information for scientists, teachers and advanced students alike.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are members of the group C family of G-protein-coupled receptors. Eight different mGlu subtypes have been identified and classified into three groups based on amino acid sequence similarity, agonist pharmacology, and the signal transduction pathways to which they couple. They perform a variety of functions in the central and peripheral nervous systems, being involved in learning, memory, anxiety, and the perception of pain. They are found in pre- and postsynaptic neurons in synapses of the hippocampus, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex, as well as other parts of the bain and peripheral tissues. This volume will focus on the latest research in the role of Group I mGluRs in health and disease.

This book focuses on the application of microorganisms in various aspects of life such as plant protection and improvement, environmental remediation, and the improvement of plant & human health. Various applications of microorganisms are examined in depth, e.g. applied microbiology in agriculture, microbes in the environment, the development of new microbial enzymes, and microbes in human health. In turn, the book shares insights into the diverse microorganisms that have been explored and exploited in the development of various applications for agricultural improvements. It also discusses the detection and exploitation of microorganisms in the diagnosis of human diseases, which offer potential holistic approaches to health. Presenting the latest information and findings on the applications of microbial biotechnology, the book offers a valuable resource.

This volume guides readers through the field of systems medicine by defining the terminology, and describing how established computational methods form bioinformatics and systems biology can be taken forward to an integrative systems medicine approach. Chapters provide an outlook on the role that systems medicine may or should play in various medical fields, and describe different facets of the systems medicine approach in action. Ultimately it introduces tools, resources and methodologies from bioinformatics and systems biology, and how to apply these in a systems medicine project. Written for the Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, and discuss experimental and computational approaches, methods, and tools that should be considered for a successful systems medicine project. Systems Medicine aims to motivate and provide guidance for collaborations across disciplines to tackle today's challenges related to human health and well-being.

This volume provides an overview of RNA bioinformatics methodologies, including basic strategies to predict secondary and tertiary structures, and novel algorithms based on massive RNA sequencing. Interest in RNA bioinformatics has rapidly increased thanks to the recent high-throughput sequencing technologies allowing scientists to investigate complete transcriptomes at single nucleotide resolution. Adopting advanced computational technics, scientists are now able to conduct more in-depth studies and present them to you in this book. Written in the highly successful Methods of Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and equipment, step-by-step, readily reproducible bioinformatics protocols, and key tips to avoid known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, RNA Bioinformatics seeks to aid scientists in the further study of bioinformatics and computational biology of RNA.

In the past half century, filamentous fungi have grown in commercial importance not only in the food industry but also as sources of pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of infectious and metabolic diseases and of specialty proteins and enzymes used to process foods, fortify detergents, and perform biotransformations. The commercial impact of molds is also measured on a negative scale since some of these organisms are significant as pathogens of crop plants, agents of food spoilage, and sources of toxic and carcinogenic compounds. Recent advances in the molecular genetics of filamentous fungi are finding increased application in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and enzyme industries, and this trend promises to continue as the genomics of fungi is explored and new techniques to speed genetic manipulation become available.

This volume focuses on the filamentous fungi and highlights the advances of the past decade, both in methodology and in the understanding of genomic organization and regulation of gene and pathway expression.

This synopsis covers evidence for the effects of conservation interventions for native farmland wildlife. It is restricted to evidence captured on the website www.conservationevidence.com. It includes papers published in the journal Conservation Evidence, evidence summarized on our database and systematic reviews collated by the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence. It is the thrid volume in the series Synopses of Conservation Evidence. Evidence was collected from all European countries west of Russia, but not those south of France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary and Romania. A list of interventions to conserve wildlife on farmland was developed collaboratively by a team of thirteen experts. A number of interventions that are not currently agri-environment options were added during this process, such as 'Provide nest boxes for bees (solitary or bumblebees)' and 'Implement food labelling schemes relating to biodiversity-friendly farming'. Interventions relating to the creation or management of habitats not considered commercial farmland (such as lowland heath, salt marsh and farm woodland) were removed. The list of interventions was organized into categories based on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifications of direct threats and conservation actions. Interventions that fall under the threat category 'Agriculture' are grouped by farming system, with separate sections for interventions that apply to arable or livestock farms, or across all farming types.

This volume contains protocols specifically designed for studying programmed cell death, and also discusses recent advances in techniques that span broader areas of biology that have been recently used or that have potential to be incorporated into cell death research. The protocols are mostly described in the context of mammalian systems, but also cover other systems such as plants, Drosophila, and yeast. Programmed Cell Death: Methods and Protocols is comprised of 20 chapters: Chapters 1-5 describe apoptosis detection techniques; Chapter 6-9 describe methods for studying apoptosis associated with various pathologies in different organs including the lymphoid compartment, intestinal epithelium, granulocytes, and cardiomyocytes; Chapter 11-13 cover protocols and techniques for studying apoptosis in non-mammalian systems; Chapters 14-16 cover biochemical and biophysical methods for studying Bcl-2 family protein dynamics and protein-protein interactions during apoptosis; and the last four chapters explore protocols that are useful not only in apoptosis research but in wider areas of biological research, such as genome editing, inducible transgenes, and proteomics. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology aeries format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary material and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocol, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Thorough and cutting-edge, Programmed Cell Death: Methods and Protocols is a comprehensive and valuable resource for researchers, ranging from beginner to expert, in their studies on programmed cell death.

This book explains omics at the most basic level, including how this new concept can be properly utilized in molecular and systems biology research. Most reviews and books on this topic have mainly focused on the technicalities and complexity of each omics' platform, impeding readers to wholly understand its fundamentals and applications. This book tackles such gap and will be most beneficial to novice in this area, university students and even researchers. Basic workflow and practical guidance in each omics are also described, such that scientists can properly design their experimentation effectively. Furthermore, how each omics platform has been conducted in our institute (INBIOSIS) is also detailed, a comprehensive example on this topic to further enhance readers' understanding. The contributors of each chapter have utilized the platforms in various manner within their own research and beyond. The contributors have also been interactively integrated and combined these different omics approaches in their research, being able to systematically write each chapter with the conscious knowledge of other inter-relating topics of omics. The potential readers and audience of this book can come from undergraduate and postgraduate students who wish to extend their comprehension in the topics of molecular biology and big data analysis using omics platforms. Furthermore, researchers and scientists whom may have expertise in basic molecular biology can extend their experimentation using the omics technologies and workflow outlined in this book, benefiting their research in the long run.

This volume addresses recent and ongoing ethnobotanical studies in the Balkans. The book focuses on elaborating the relevance of such studies for future initiatives in this region, both in terms of sustainable and peaceful (trans-regional, trans-cultural) rural development. A multi-disciplinary viewpoint is utilized, with an incorporation of historical, ethnographic, linguistic, biological, nutritional and medical perspectives. The book is also authored by recognized scholars, who in the last decade have extensively researched the Balkan traditional knowledge systems as they pertain to perceptions of the natural world and especially plants. Ethnobotany and Biocultural Diversities in the Balkans is the first ethnobotany book on one of the most biologically and culturally diverse regions of the world and is a valuable resource for both scholars and students interested in the field of ethnobotany.

Animal Bioethics is an important reference work for students of biomedicine and related fields, scientific researchers, and members of organizations for the protection of animal rights and welfare. The philosophical background of monistic and dualistic concepts of the human-animal relationship is considered in detail. Experimental models in drug development and pain testing are analyzed, and the translational aspect of in vivo experiments discussed. One chapter is dedicated to neuroethics, taking into account the importance of animal experiments for examining brain function. Finally, an overview of modern legislation related to animal experiments is given, the ethical basis of the principles of Good Laboratory Practice is assessed, and the importance of animal bioethics for writing scientific projects is shown.

It is now well known that proteases are found everywhere, in viruses and bacteria as well as in all human, animal and plant cells, and play a role in a variety of biological functions ranging from digestion, fertilization, development to senescence and death. Under physiological conditions the ability of proteases is regulated by endogenous inhibitors. However, when the activity of proteases is not regulated appropriately, disease processes can result, as seen in Alzheimer s disease, cancer metastasis and tumor progression, inflammation and atherosclerosis. Thus it is evident that there is an absolute need for a tighter control of proteolytic activities in different cells and tissues.

Aimed at graduate students and researchers with an interest in cellular proteolytic events, "Role of Proteases in Cellular Dysfunctions" is the second book on Proteases in this series. The book consists of three parts in specified topics based on current literatures for a better understanding for the readers with respect to their subject-wise interests. The first section of this book covers a brief idea about the neuronal disorders and the involvement of proteases such as calpains, caspases and matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). The second section covers the deadly disease cancer and its relation to ubiquitin-proteasome system, MMPs and serine proteases. The last section is about the role of proteases such as calpains, MMPs and serine protease as well as urokinase type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) in causing cardiovascular defects. "

Research on the ecosystems has emerged in recent decades as a vital, successful, and sometimes controversial approach to environmental science. Ecosystem science has addressed issues such as human alteration of biogeochemical cycles, ecological complexity and biodiversity, and ecological response to climate change. As a central and integrating science, ecosystem-level studies have been highly successful. This book emphasizes the idea that much of the progress in ecosystem research has been driven by the emergence of new environmental problems that could not be addressed by existing approaches. By focusing on successes, limitations, and frontiers in ecosystem studies, it will be welcomed by students and scientists throughout the ecological and environmental communities.

This book indicates the most optimal solutions for the growing civilization problem related to climate change that takes place more and more rapidly on our planet. It is divided into two parts: In the first part, the authors - based on the available analyses and reports on climate change taking place on Earth - present their own point of view in relation to the above issue, while trying to find answers to the following questions: * Why is it so difficult to admit that humans are responsible for the ongoing climate change? * Will climate change destroy life on Earth? * Can science and modern technologies stop this process? In the second part of the book, the authors propose a solution for the advancing climate change, regarding the reduction of CO2 emissions coming mainly from the energy sector. On the basis of scientific achievements and implementations of research institutions in Poland, especially the Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Gdansk, the book proposes directions of development of the energy transformation in Poland and other countries for which fossil fuels currently make a large contribution to the energy production process and are the main emitter of CO2 to the atmosphere. The book is addressed to citizens, ecologists, climatologists as well as politicians and experts responsible for shaping the climate and energy policy of the country level and also the world.

This book proposes and defends the practice of urban gardening as an ecologically and socially beneficial, culturally innovative, morally appropriate, ethically uplifting, and politically incisive way for individuals and variously networked collectives to contribute to a successful management of some defining challenges of the Anthropocene - this new epoch in which no earthly place, form, entity, process, or system escapes the reach of human activity - including urban resilience and climate change.

Using both epidemiological and model organism approaches, we have gained new insights into the physiological and molecular aspects of aging, which has led to significant advancements in potential anti-aging strategies. Reviews on Biomarker Studies in Aging and Anti-Aging Research presents a series of reviews in various aspects of aging and age-related disease research along with several methods which have shown progress as potential anti-aging approaches. The book is aimed at researchers in the areas of aging and chronic disease, as well as to clinical scientists, physicians and major drug companies. It provides important information on disease mechanisms, and each chapter is presented in the context of the aging process, specific chronic diseases or different therapeutic areas.

This book traces the evolutionary trajectory of language and teaching from the earliest periods of human evolution to the present day. The author argues that teaching is unique to humans and our ancestors, and that the evolution of teaching, language, and culture are the inextricably linked results of gene-culture coevolutionary processes. Drawing on related fields including archaeology, palaeontology, cultural anthropology, evolutionary psychology and linguistics, he makes the case that the need for joint attention and shared goals in complex adaptive strategies is the underlying driver for the evolution of language-like communication. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of these disciplines, as well as lay readers with an interest in human origins.

The goal for this volume is to provide an up-to-date review of the discriminative stimulus properties of major psychoactive drug classes with an emphasis on how this paradigm enhances our understanding of these drugs and how these findings translate from animals to humans. The drug discrimination paradigm applies to both drugs of abuse and drugs for treating mental illnesses, and research from these studies has provided immense translational value for learning about the mechanisms responsible for drug effects in humans.

This book provides insights into various aspects of marine faunal communities in India, which are extremely diverse due to the geomorphologic and climatic variations along the Indian coasts. Consisting of 30 chapters by experts in their respective fields, it is divided into two parts:

. Part I: Tropical Marine Faunal Communities

. Part II: Ecology and Conservation

Part I highlights the diversity and distribution of Foraminifera; sponges associated with seagrass; Polychaeta; Opisthobranchia; oysters; copepods; horseshoe and brachyuran crabs; echinoderms; ascidians; fishes; fish parasites; and sea mammals. Topics of Part II include the status and environmental parameters of benthos; the status of coral reefs; the invasion of snowflake coral; the recovery of bleached corals; the socioeconomics and management of dugong; marine biodiversity conservation and management in India; the assessment of the marine fauna of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act; and marine biodiversity protected areas in India.

This book will serve as a valuable reference work for marine scientists, as well as for environmental managers and policy makers.

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