Biological invasions - the introduction of living organisms beyond their original range - are one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. They are a major threat to human health and a source of pests and pathogens in the world's farms, forests and fisheries. The growth of international trade and travel means that more species are being introduced to more places than ever before. This book represents the first concerted effort to understand the economic causes and consequences of biological invasions. The volume discusses the theoretical and methodological issues raised by invasion, including control strategies, modelling options, and a study of the economic, institutional and policy conditions that predispose countries to biological invasions. Also included are case studies of fisheries, agricultural systems, tropical forests and protected areas affected by invasive species in locations such as the Black Sea, Australia and Africa, and an evaluation of control programmes. The Economics of Biological Invasions provides an important first step towards codification of the advice needed to develop decision rules, tools and protocols for the effective management of invasive biological species. This volume will be a fascinating read for researchers, academics and students in ecology, economics and environmental science with an interest in the biodiversity problem. The book will also prove to be essential reading for policymakers responsible for health, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and the environment in both developed and developing countries.

The book presents new and stimulating approaches to the study of language evolution and considers their implications for future research. Leading scholars from linguistics, primatology, anthroplogy, and cognitive science consider how language evolution can be understood by means of inference from the study of linked or analogous phenomena in language, animal behaviour, genetics, neurology, culture, and biology. In their introduction the editors show how these approaches can be interrelated and deployed together through their use of comparable forms of inference and the similar conditions they place on the use of evidence. The Evolutionary Emergence of Language will interest everyone concerned with this intriguing and important subject, including those in linguistics, biology, anthropology, archaeology, neurology, and cognitive science.

This textbook provides a comprehensive, yet accessible, introduction to statistical mechanics. Crafted and class-tested over many years of teaching, it carefully guides advanced undergraduate and graduate students who are encountering statistical mechanics for the first time through this – sometimes – intimidating subject. The book provides a strong foundation in thermodynamics and the ensemble formalism of statistical mechanics. An introductory chapter on probability theory is included. Applications include degenerate Fermi systems, Bose-Einstein condensation, cavity radiation, phase transitions, and critical phenomena. The book concludes with a treatment of scaling theories and the renormalization group. In addition, it provides clear descriptions of how to understand the foundational mathematics and physics involved and includes exciting case studies of modern applications of the subject in physics and wider interdisciplinary areas. Key Features: Presents the subject in a clear and entertaining style which enables the author to take a sophisticated approach whilst remaining accessible Contains contents that have been carefully reviewed with a substantial panel to ensure that coverage is appropriate for a wide range of courses, worldwide Accompanied by volumes on thermodynamics and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, which can be used in conjunction with this book, on courses which cover both thermodynamics and statistical mechanics

Mechanisms and Genetics of Neurodevelopmental Cognitive Disorders connects neurodevelopment with genetics and behavior to better understand the underlying factors leading to cognitive neurodevelopmental disorders. This book focuses on mechanisms of disease and follows the development of specific brain regions, functions, and gene expression to causes and processes in autism, attention deficit disorder, and learning disabilities. Topics include brain mapping, brain plasticity, epigenetics, neuroimmunology, and many other factors that influence the development of these diseases. This book will promote understanding of recent investigations and developments related to brain development from fetal life onward with specific relevance to neurodevelopmental cognitive disorders and conditions. This is an essential reference for anyone who is looking to learn more about different aspects of neurodevelopment and emerging concepts in psychiatric disorders.

Stroke Rehabilitation: Insights from Neuroscience and Imaging informs and challenges neurologists, rehabilitation therapists, imagers, and stroke specialists to adopt more restorative and scientific approaches to stroke rehabilitation based on new evidence from neuroscience and neuroimaging literatures. The fields of cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging are advancing rapidly and providing new insights into human behavior and learning. Similarly, improved knowledge of how the brain processes information after injury and recovers over time is providing new perspectives on what can be achieved through rehabilitation.
Stroke Rehabilitation explores the potential to shape and maximize neural plastic changes in the brain after stroke from a multimodal perspective. Active skill based learning is identified as a central element of a restorative approach to rehabilitation. The evidence behind core learning principles as well as specific learning strategies that have been applied to retrain lost functions of movement, sensation, cognition and language are also discussed. Current interventions are evaluated relative to this knowledge base and examples are given of how active learning principles have been successfully applied in specific interventions. The benefits and evidence behind enriched environments is reviewed with examples of potential application in stroke rehabilitation. The capacity of adjunctive therapies, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, to modulate receptivity of the damaged brain to benefit from behavioral interventions is also discussed in the context of this multimodal approach. Focusing on new insights from neuroscience and imaging, the book explores the potential to tailor interventions to the individual based on viable brain networks.
This book is intended for clinicians, rehabilitation specialists and neurologists who are interested in using these new discoveries to achieve more optimal outcomes. Equally as important, it is intended for neuroscientists, clinical researchers, and imaging specialists to help frame important clinical questions and to better understand the context in which their discoveries may be used.

The Himalayan Region is a mega hot spot for biological diversity. It supports over 1,748 plants species of known medicinal value. This title focuses on origin and distribution of Himalayan herbs, their medicinal potential, industrial significance, and research advancements pertaining to molecular breeding and omics-based approaches.

This Book is comprised of solutions for the treatment of cognitive diseases with Bionics or Bioinspired Algorithms using future technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), data science, and more. Studying the behavior of nature and providing the medical engineering solutions would not only be unique but would result in substantial contribution in solution of so many cognitive disease problems which are not detected correctly in initial stages. This publication would be a breakthrough in the field of medical science, especially in the field of cognitive diseases by providing solutions in the form of algorithms and devices that could be useful for the brain disease patient for early detection. This book is essential for various medical research centers, engineering institutions across the world, medical colleges, biomedical research centers, and electronics and communication research centers.

HLA from Benchtop to Bedside provides the reader with a comprehensive, concise and thoroughly up-to-date book on all aspects of the HLA system, including new techniques and methodologies. Each chapter begins with bullet point lists of principle learning points, including comprehensive references and validated links to international resources. Written by a diverse range of international academics for professionals, researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, this book is ideal for organ and stem cell transplant professionals, histocompatibility laboratory professionals and staff, medical residents and fellows on transplant services, medical students, and students in clinical laboratory science. The book's author, Dr. Arthur Bradley Eisenbrey, is an experienced transplant pathologist who has held significant academic and leadership positions in the field.

The Complex Interplay Between Gut-Brain, Gut-Liver, and Liver-Brain Axes provides current and wide-ranging information in the field of gastrointestinal, liver, and brain interactions that can be used in resolving important clinical issues. This book is systematically split into three distinct sections. The first section introduces the pathophysiology of the gut-brain connection, including the causative effect of the interactions between the gut and brain in gastrointestinal and psychiatric/neurological disorders, and the role of serotonin and its pathways in gastrointestinal disorders. The second section examines the pathophysiology of the gut-liver connection along with the interactions between gut microbiota and liver in chronic liver diseases, with special focus on the role of serotonin and its pathways in hepatic fibrogenesis. Finally, the third section describes the pathophysiology of the liver-brain connection, including the role of gut microbiota in hepatic encephalopathy, as well as dietary and therapeutic interventions that target the gut microbiome.

The series Advances in Stem Cell Biology is a timely and expansive collection of comprehensive information and new discoveries in the field of stem cell biology. Recent Advances in iPSC Technology, Volume 5 addresses the progress in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) technologies. Somatic cells can be reprogrammed into iPSCs by the expression of specific transcription factors. These cells are transforming biomedical research in the last 15 years. The volume teaches readers about current advances in the field. This book describes different technologies and strategies to use iPSCs for biological and clinical benefit. In recent years, remarkable progress has been made in the obtention of iPSCs and their differentiation into several cell types, tissues, and organs using state-of-the-art techniques. These advantages facilitated identification of key targets and definition of the molecular basis of several disorders. This volume will cover hot topics in the iPSC field, such as iPSCs for modeling the cardiovascular toxicities of anticancer therapies, iPSC differentiation through the lens of the noncoding genome, modeling of blood-brain barrier with iPSCs, mathematical modeling of iPSCs, iPSCs to study human brain evolution, selfrenewal in iPSCs, differences and similarities between iPSCs and embryonic stem cells, and more. The volume is written for researchers and scientists interested in stem cell therapy, cell biology, regenerative medicine, and organ transplantation and is contributed by world-renowned authors in the field.

Plant genotyping, or DNA fingerprinting of plants, is a technology that has matured and is poised for widespread practical application. Plant genotype analysis can be used for the identification of plants in commerce, plant breeding and research. This book examines the technology available and their application in the analysis of wild plant populations, germplasm collections and plant breeding. Special attention has been paid to microsatellite analysis, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and new technologies, such as microarrays and non-gel based analysis of markers.

The Molecular Immunology of Neurological Diseases provides a comprehensive review of current updates in molecular immunogenetics of different neurological diseases. Readers will learn about the role of immune cells and their modulation strategies to help in the development of therapeutic approaches for both acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. There is no other book available on the topic. It has long been thought that the brain is an immune-privilege organ with very limited immune response. However recent studies have made clear that both systemic 'brain' and peripheral 'blood' immune cell responses play key roles in determining brain pathology in neurodegenerative disorders. This book summarizes the role of immune cell activation in the central nervous system microenvironment in acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, it discusses the key role of immune cells and their modulation strategies for the development of current therapeutic approaches.

Genome Editing: A Practical Guide to Research and Clinical Applications is geared towards investigators interested in learning how to use CRISPR-Cas9-based technologies, with a focus on cardiovascular research and clinical applications. Covering a range of topics from the basics of genome editing to design considerations, to assessments and applications, this reference allows readers to get started and establish a full workflow from the beginning of the project to its full completion. With worked examples drawn from real-life experiments, as well as troubleshooting and pitfalls to avoid, the book serves as an essential reference for researchers and investigators in both cardiovascular and biomedical research.

Biodiversity has been a key concept in international conservation since the 1980s, yet historians have paid little attention to its origins. Uncovering its roots in tropical fieldwork and the southward expansion of U.S. empire at the turn of the twentieth century, Megan Raby details how ecologists took advantage of growing U.S. landholdings in the circum-Caribbean by establishing permanent field stations for long-term, basic tropical research. From these outposts of U.S. science, a growing community of American ""tropical biologists"" developed both the key scientific concepts and the values embedded in the modern discourse of biodiversity. Considering U.S. biological fieldwork from the era of the Spanish-American War through the anticolonial movements of the 1960s and 1970s, this study combines the history of science, environmental history, and the history of U.S.-Caribbean and Latin American relations. In doing so, Raby sheds new light on the origins of contemporary scientific and environmentalist thought and brings to the forefront a surprisingly neglected history of twentieth-century U.S. science and empire.

In recent years, music theorists have been increasingly eager to incorporate findings from the science of human cognition and linguistics into their methodology. In the culmination of a vast body of research undertaken since his influential and award-winning Conceptualizing Music (OUP 2002), Lawrence M. Zbikowski puts forward Foundations of Musical Grammar, an ambitious and broadly encompassing account on the foundations of musical grammar based on our current understanding of human cognitive capacities. Musical grammar is conceived of as a species of construction grammar, in which grammatical elements are form-function pairs. Zbikowski proposes that the basic function of music is to provide sonic analogs for dynamic processes that are important in human cultural interactions. He focuses on three such processes: those concerned with the emotions, the spontaneous gestures that accompany speech, and the patterned movement of dance. Throughout the book, Zbikowski connects cognitive research with music theory for an interdisciplinary audience, presenting detailed musical analyses and summaries of the basic elements of musical grammar.

The series Advances in Stem Cell Biology is a timely and expansive collection of comprehensive information and new discoveries in the field of stem cell biology. Recent Advances in iPSC-derived Cell Types, Volume 4 addresses how different cell types can be derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. Somatic cells can be reprogrammed into Induced pluripotent stem cells by the expression of specific transcription factors. These cells are transforming biomedical research in the last 15 years. The volume teaches readers about current advances in the field. This book describes the use of induced pluripotent stem cells to form different cell types which can be used in cell therapy as well as to model several diseases in vitro, enabling us to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in different pathologies. In recent years, remarkable progress has been made in the obtention of induced pluripotent stem cells and their differentiation into several cellular populations, tissues and organs using state-of-art techniques. This volume will cover what we know so far about the use of iPSCs to derive different cell types, such as: erythroid cells, mucosal-associated invariant T cells, megakaryocytes, cerebral cortical neurons, inner ear cell types, airway epithelial cells, male germ cells, trophoblasts, cardiomyocytes, sspancreatic cells, and more. The volume is written for researchers and scientists interested in stem cell therapy, cell biology, regenerative medicine, and organ transplantation; and is contributed by world-renowned authors in the field.

How do genes determine behavior? How much of behavior is nature versus nurture? How do behaviors evolve? Anholt and Mackay, leading scholars in the field of behavioral genetics, address these questions and much more in this comprehensive textbook that defines the emerging field of behavioral genetics. The provides a range of examples, such as laboratory studies on flies and mice, field observations on species as diverse as butterflies and meerkats, and human behavioral disorders. The book blends classical and modern genetic principles with neurobiological and ecological perspectives to teach students how to find and map genes that affect behaviors, as well as how the coordinated expression of ensembles of these genes enables the nervous system to express complex behaviors in response to changes in the environment. Principles of Behavioral Genetics introduces us to the fascinating science that aims to understand how our genes determine what makes us tick.
Principles of Behavioral Genetics presents a comprehensive overview of the relationship between genes, brain and behavior. Introductory chapters provide clear explanations of basic processes of the nervous system and fundamental principles of genetics of complex traits without excessive statistical jargon. Individual chapters describe the genetics of social interactions, olfaction and taste, memory and learning, circadian behavior, locomotion, sleep, and addiction, as well as the evolution of behavior. Whereas the focus is on genetics, neurobiological and ecological aspects are also included to provide intellectual breadth. The book uses examples that span the gamut from classical model organisms to non-model systems and human biology, and include both laboratory and field studies. Samples of historical information accentuate the text to provide the reader with an appreciation of the history of the field. All chapters contain general overviews, concise summaries, study questions that promote not only memorization but also contemplation of the material, and recommendations for further in-depth reading. An extensive glossary that defines the terminology used in the book is included. This textbook encompasses a broad definition of the emerging science of behavioral genetics.
* Defines the emerging science of behavioral genetics
* Engagingly written by two leading experts in behavioral genetics
* Clear explanations of basic quantitative genetic, neurogenetic and genomic applications to the study of behavior
* Numerous examples ranging from model organisms to non-model systems and humans
* Concise overviews and summaries for each chapter