Mouse Genetics offers for the first time in a single comprehensive volume a practical guide to mouse breeding and genetics. Nearly all human genes are present in the mouse genome, making it an ideal organism for genetic analyses of both normal and abnormal aspects of human biology. Written as a convenient reference, this book provides a complete description of the laboratory mouse, the tools used in analysis, and procedures for carrying out genetic studies, along with background material and statistical information for use in ongoing data analysis. It thus serves two purposes, first to provide students with an introduction to the mouse as a model system for genetic analysis, and to give practicing scientists a detailed guide for performing breeding studies and interepreting experimental results. All topics are developed completely, with full explanations of critical concepts in genetics and molecular biology. As investigators around the world are rediscovering both the heuristic and practical value of the mouse genome, the demand for a succinct introduction to the subject has never been greater. Mouse Genetics is intended to meet the needs of this wide audience.

This special issue illustrates benefits to animals from positive reinforcement training (PRT) and--depending on the setting--to scientists, animal care staff, veterinarians, and in the case of the zoo, the visiting public. One important theme throughout is that training is a joint venture between human and nonhuman primate and can lead to a closer, richer relationship between the two. In summary, the editors hope this issue encourages further and wider application of PRT to primate management, care, and use, as well as aid those working with animals in applying PRT safely and effectively.

The Anatomy of Dolphins: Insights into Body Structure and Function is a precise, detailed, fully illustrated, descriptive, and functionally oriented text on the anatomy and morphology of dolphins. It focuses on a number of delphinid species, with keynotes on important dolphin-like genera, such as the harbor porpoise. It also serves as a useful complement for expanding trends and emphases in molecular biology and genetics. The authors share their life-long expertise on marine mammals in various disciplines. Written as a team rather than being prepared as a collection of separate contributions, the result is a uniform and comprehensive style, giving each of the different topics appropriate space. Many color figures, which use the authors' access to wide collections of unique dolphin and whale material, round out this exceptional offering to the field.

Erythrocytes of the Rhesus and Cynomolgus Monkeys addresses the morphologic, quantitative, and generative aspects of the erythrocytes of the rhesus monkey Macaca mulatta and the cynomolgus monkey Macaca fascicularis (long-tailed macaque, crab-eating monkey). These two species are the most commonly selected nonhuman primates for basic science and clinical medical investigations. The hemopoietic cells of man and the rhesus monkey display an intimate homogeneity. Their functional activities are close and at times identical. The cynomolgus monkey was enlisted in biomedical studies at a time when rhesus monkeys were not available in sufficient quantities. It has gained increased use in the Far East and in the Western world. It is, for example, employed in the current development of a vaccine against the deadly Ebola virus. The authors of the book discuss the erythropoietic profiles of normal and abnormal macaques of both sexes and of all age groups as investigated with contemporary electronic methodologies. They cover the role of stress as it is perceived by the monkey and how it impacts erythrocellular values, and how to train the monkey to be a cooperative, unperturbed subject for hematologic study. Additional topics include the role of medication in deriving normal physiologic erythrocellular data, the development of the precursors of the erythrocyte (normoblasts), the morphologic analysis of the megaloblastic series of abnormal erythroid cells, the analysis of erythropoiesis in bone marrow, the relationship of the simian immunodeficiency virus and erythropoiesis, erythrocyte life span, and parasitic invasion of the red cell.

Mammalian oocytes occupy a critical nexus in reproduction as they not only contribute half the genetic makeup of the embryo but also provide virtually all of the cytoplasmic building blocks required for sustaining embryogenesis. The journey that transforms a primordial germ cell into a mature oocyte (or egg) capable of fertilisation and embryonic development is of unrivalled complexity. The end-product of this remarkable developmental process is the "mature" egg, now replete with macromolecules and organelles, and poised to support embryonic development if fertilisation should occur. Given the importance of the oocyte for embryonic development, it is of no surprise that the oocyte holds centre stage in fertility clinics and greatly influences the outcome of assisted reproductive treatments (ARTs). Mammalian Oocyte Regulation: Methods and Protocols provides a highly diverse compendium of detailed methodologies - primarily focusing on the murine model but also including chapters on human oocytes - for enabling researchers to interrogate every aspect of mammalian oocyte development including recombination, meiotic maturation, oocyte substrate uptake, chromosomal segregation and fertilisation. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Mammalian Oocyte Regulation: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide to novice oocyte researchers, experts who wish to add another dimension to their established portfolio, as well as the wider research community.

Previous experimental research has suggested that chimpanzees may understand some of the epitemological aspects of visual perception, such as how the perceptual act of seeing can have internal mental consequences for an individual's state of knowledge. Other research suggests that chimpanzees and other nonhuman primates may understand visual perception at a simpler level; that is, they may at least understand seeing as a mental event that subjectively anchors organisms to the external world. However, these results are ambiguous and are open to several interpretations. In this Monograph, we report the results of 15 studies that were conducted with chimpanzees and preschool children to explore their knowledge about visual perception.

This book examines case studies of North American Quaternary mammalian evolution within the larger domain of modern evolutionary theory. It presents previously unpublished studies of a variety of taxa (xenarthrans, rodents, carnivores, ungulates) examined over several temporal scales, from a few thousand years during the Holocene to millions of years of late Pliocene and Pleistocene time. Different organizational levels are represented, from mosaic population variation, to a synopsis of Quaternary evolution of an entire order (Rodentia). In addition to specific case histories, the book includes purely theoretical and methodological contributions, for example, on the statistical recognition of stasis in the fossil record, new ways to calculate evolutionary rates, and the use of digital image analysis in the study of dental ontogeny. Perhaps the most important aspect of the studies reported in this book is that they span the time between the "ecological moment" and "deep time." Modern taxa can be traced back into the fossil record, and variation among extant taxa can be used as a control against which variation in the extinct ones can be understood.

This volume is the third and final part of the planned coverage of the neurochemical circuitry of the primate central nervous system. The five chapters included in this volume complement and integrate magnificently with the two prior volumes.

Included in the volume are the following: a two-fold exposition on the human forebrain, comprised of a comprehensive overview of the entire human forebrain, and a specific focus on the basal forebrain (a region critical for a wide range of human problems ranging from substance abuse to Alzheimer's disease), a critical synthesis of the primate basal ganglia (a region under intense scrutiny for the organization of motor programs, and for their dysfunctions in Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and other malfunctions), the chemical and anatomic details of the primate hippocampal formation in extenso, and lastly, a review of the rapidly growing literature on the mesocortical projection of dopaminergic circuits onto the primate frontal cortex ( a system highly linked to higher order mental abstractions, as well as the dysfunctions of schizophrenia).

Scholars will recognize that the laying out of these status reports on our still vastly incomplete examination of the primate brains is an opportunity for progress.

This volume comprises the proceedings of a symposium on marine mammal survey assessment methods, which took place in Seattle, Washington, USA.

This text comprises of two volumes discussing the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism.

Some of the world's most beautiful, intelligent and highly adapted mammals inhabit our seas and oceans, and have stirred the human imagination for many centuries. As our knowledge of marine mammals grows, the need exists for a reliable and complete reference to the ecology and biology of these fascinating creatures. The Handbook of Marine Mammals series was founded with this in mind and now reaches its conclusion with this sixth and final volume. Within the pages of this classic series, scientists, conservationists and informed layperson alike can find the definitive review of all the world's whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, and related species as well as sea otters and sea cows.
Volume 6 covers the remaining dolphins and porpoises in a series of 17 chapters, each written by a specialist author with extensive personal research experience of the species. Each chapter provides a description of the species, and includes sections on the aspects of distribution and abundance, anatomy, physiology, behavior, reproduction, parasites and diseases and the impact of human activity on the animal's population and well-being. Numerous maps, photos and drawings illustrate the text.
Key Features
* Concludes this major definitive series
* A standard reference work on all of the world's marine mammals, their anatomy, distribution, ecology, and behavior
* The most up-to-date research in a concise reference form
* Numerous photos of live and specimen animals, skulls, and anatomical details, plus distribution maps
* Text specifically deals with conservation and management issues

The last few years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of areas known to be involved in mammalian vision. It has also seen a far greater understanding of the importance of reciprocal connections, intrinsic connections, structure-specific modules and modules which span different structures, as well as the introduction of parallel processing models within the thalamocortical and corticocortical streams.

The body of knowledge has become so vast, and is growing so rapidly, that periodic updates are essential even for experts in the field. This volume is based on a satellite meeting of an international group of researchers. It emphasizes the most current information regarding midbrain and extrastriate mechanisms underlying vision and visually-guided behavior. The book also places these data into the larger context of how interrelated components of the visual system function to produce coherent visual experiences and behavior. New research findings are presented that are unavailable elsewhere, as well as reviews and broad perspectives in which existing data from multiple sources are brought together in order to help understand the structure and function of extrageniculostriate visual areas.

Comparative Cardiovascular Dynamics of Mammals offers never-before-published data on the structure and function of the circulatory systems of the different mammalian species. This text explores classic allometry, dimensional analysis, and modern hemodynamics to establish similarity principles that provide a necessary and important step in understanding the natural common design and functional features of the cardiovascular systems of different mammals. Fluid and blood vessel mechanics, pulse transmission characteristics, cardiac energetics and mechanics, as well as heart-arterial system interaction are included in this essential reference. The sensitivity of parameters and similarity of principles in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases are also addressed. This book also describes the natural processes involved in the functional development of the mammalian cardiovascular system. By using modern methods to present recent findings on the similarities and differences of the mammalian cardiovascular system, the author provides an easily understood approach to this dynamic field of study.

Until now, information on mammals in South Asia has never been brought together on a single platform providing all inclusive knowledge on the subject. This book is the most up to date comprehensive resource on the mammalian diversity of South Asia. It offers information on the diversity, distribution and status of 504 species of terrestrial and aquatic mammals found in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. This work is unique being the first of its kind that deals with diversity and distribution at the subspecies level. The book is divided in to three chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the subject and takes off from the recent works on mammals at the global level, provides an historical perspective on mammal studies in South Asia and concludes with a note on recent phylogenetic changes at supraordinal levels. Chapter 2 summarizes the information on the diversity of South Asian Mammals, provides analysis by country of mammalian diversity (supported by data in tabular form) dealing with species richness, endemism and possibly occurring species, separate analysis for each country with details on endemic and threatened species, extinct mammals, domestic mammals, and finally the IUCN status of mammals with special emphasis on threatened mammals. Chapter 3 is a comprehensive checklist that provides information oneach species, including its scientific name, type details, standardized English name, synonyms, subspecies, distribution and comments on taxonomic status. Country wise listings and analysis of species richness with emphasis on subspecies distribution Most of the analysis is supported by data in tabular forms for better understanding Notes on extinct and domesticated mammals as well as their IUCN Red List Status with criteria for such status A very comprehensive bibliography that would help readers track down specific literature

This book is focused on the principals and methods of using growth layers formed in teeth and bones of mammals and to make a judgement on essential traits of the animal's life history. Nearly in all mammalian species including man, the age of individuals can be determined from the number of growth layers and, at least in some of them, it is possible to estimate the season of an animal's birth and death, the age of sexual maturation, periodicity of reproduction, certain feeding habits and other aspects of the individual's biology. It is also possible, from tooth enamel analysis, to assess dose of radiation accumulated by animals and human beings during their lifetime. The book is intended mainly for zoologists, wild-game biologists, and zoo-archaeologists, but some of the sections can also be of interest for anthropologists, radio-ecologists and conservation biologists.

Primate Evolution and Human Origins compiles, for the first time, the major ideas and publications that have shaped our current view of the evolutionary biology of the primates and the origin of the human line. Designed for freshmen-to-graduate students in anthropology, paleontology, and biology, the book is a unique collection of classic papers, culled from the past 20 years of research. It is also an important reference for academicians and researchers, as it covers the entire scope of primate and human evolution (with an emphasis on the fossil record). A comprehensive bibliography cites over 2000 significant articles not found in the main text.

Designed to enable newcomers to electrophysiology to choose appropriate preparations and techniques for in vitro studies in vertebrate neurobiology. Emphasizes techniques involving the glass micropipette and other recently developed methods, supplementing easy-to-follow instructions with illustrative schemes, examples of original records, photomicrographs, key word listings, comprehensive reference tables and a list of suppliers and key equipment and reagents.

Neuroscience Perspectives provides multidisciplinary reviews of topics in one of the most diverse and rapidly advancing fields in the life sciences. Whether you are a new recruit to neuroscience, or an established expert, look to this series for 'one-stop' sources of the historical, physiological, pharmacological, biochemical, molecular biological and therapeutic aspects of chosen research areas. The sigma receptor was originally thought to be a subset of the opioid receptor family, and it is less than 10 years since it was recognized that this receptor represents unique binding sites in mammalian brain and peripheral organs, distinct from any other known neurotransmitter receptor. Since the sigma receptors exhibit high affinity for members of diverse classes of psychotropic drugs, and have been postulated to be involved in various central nervous disorders, neuroscientists have demonstrated a great deal of interest in the elucidation of these receptor sites and their biological relevance. Relatively little is known about the precise role of sigma receptors in normal brain function and in CNS disorders, despite an overwhelming research effort. This research has resulted in many controversies, some of which have been reconciled while others have not. This volume aims to update the reader on the current situation, and deals with the potential functional significance of these receptors in the brain and peripheral organs and, where appropriate, makes reference to the clinical potential of these sites.

Serves as a comprehensive review to the substantial impact of gene amplification in molecular biology, genetic engineering and medical science. The book covers the mechanism of gene amplification, organization and structure of amplified genes.

From two scientists who have been at the forefront of manatee research for over three decades, The Florida Manatee offers an engaging, accessible introduction to manatee biology, including communication, diet, long-distance migration, and much more. This second edition is updated with new scientific research, as well as discussions of recent conservation efforts-largely driven by manatee injuries and deaths resulting from boat collisions-that have contributed to the robust growth of manatee numbers in Florida. It also includes the latest predictions for manatee populations and health in the future, both in Florida and worldwide. This is the perfect book for anyone seeking the most comprehensive, current information on this fascinating marine mammal.

Illustrated with 200 outstanding photographs, Dangerous Animals presents an in-depth look at the natural world's most deadly creatures, from poisonous spiders and sea snakes to aggressive lions and man-eating sharks. The selection spans a broad spectrum of wildlife, from large carnivores such as the grizzly bear and great white shark to smaller but equally deadly predators such as the black widow spider and puff adder. Each world habitat is covered, with examples carefully drawn from every region of the planet - from the majestic lion of the African plains and the polar bear of the arctic wastes, to the Komodo dragon of South-east Asia, whose saliva carries poisonous bacteria that can kill a person in hours. Featuring around 100 species, each photographic entry is supported with a fascinating caption, explaining how the animal manages to be so deadly. Beautifully presented, this accessible book is a wonderful introduction to some of the planet's fiercest - or just most poisonous - creatures.

Leaping Ahead: Advances in Prosimian Biology presents a summary of the state of prosimian biology as we move into the second decade of the 21st century. The book covers a wide range of topics, from assessments of diversity and evolutionary scenarios, through ecophysiology, cognition, behavioral and sensory ecology, to the conservation and survival prospects of this extraordinary and diverse group of mammals. The collection was inspired by an international conference in Ithala, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 2007, where prosimian biologists gathered from Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The meeting reverberated with the passion prosimian researchers feel for their study subjects and with their deep concern for the future of prosimians in the face of ongoing habitat destruction and the burgeoning threat of bushmeat hunting. Chapters for this volume were contributed by researchers from across the globe; they attest to the diversity, vibrancy and rapid growth of prosimian biology, and to the intellectual advances that have revolutionized this field in recent years. Since its earliest beginnings, prosimian research and its resultant literature have had a strong francophone component, and researchers in many prosimian habitat countries are more comfortable reading and writing in French rather than English. French summaries of all chapters have been included. The volume is targeted at researchers, both those entering the field and established scientists, who have an interest in the biology of primates and small mammals. It is also aimed at conservation biologists seeking a deeper understanding of the faunas and conservation developments in Africa, Madagascar and Southeast Asia, and anyone who has an interest in discovering the true diversity of our order, the Primates.