This book provides theoretical and practical knowledge about a methodology for evolutionary algorithm-based search strategy with the integration of several machine learning and deep learning techniques. These include convolutional neural networks, Groebner bases, relevance vector machines, transfer learning, bagging and boosting methods, clustering techniques (affinity propagation), and belief networks, among others. The development of such tools contributes to better optimizing methodologies. Beginning with the essentials of evolutionary algorithms and covering interdisciplinary research topics, the contents of this book are valuable for different classes of readers: novice, intermediate, and also expert readers from related fields.Following the chapters on introduction and basic methods, Chapter 3 details a new research direction, i.e., neuro-evolution, an evolutionary method for the generation of deep neural networks, and also describes how evolutionary methods are extended in combination with machine learning techniques. Chapter 4 includes novel methods such as particle swarm optimization based on affinity propagation (PSOAP), and transfer learning for differential evolution (TRADE), another machine learning approach for extending differential evolution. The last chapter is dedicated to the state of the art in gene regulatory network (GRN) research as one of the most interesting and active research fields. The author describes an evolving reaction network, which expands the neuro-evolution methodology to produce a type of genetic network suitable for biochemical systems and has succeeded in designing genetic circuits in synthetic biology. The author also presents real-world GRN application to several artificial intelligent tasks, proposing a framework of motion generation by GRNs (MONGERN), which evolves GRNs to operate a real humanoid robot.

This book includes papers presented at the 2017 Joint meeting of Fodder Crops and Amenity Grasses Section and Protein Crops Working Group of EUCARPIA-Oil and Protein Crops Section. The theme of the meeting "Breeding Grasses and Protein Crops in the Era of Genomics" has been divided into six parts: (1) Utilisation of genetic resources and pre-breeding, (2) Genetic improvement of quality and agronomic traits, (3) Breeding for enhanced stress tolerance (4) Implementation of phenomics and biometrics, (5) Development of genomic tools and bioinformatics and (6) Reports of Parallel Sessions.

This book provides authentic and comprehensive information on the concepts, methods, functional details and applications of nano-emulsions. Following an introduction to the applications of nanotechnology in the development of foods, it elaborates on food-grade nano-emulsion and their significance, discusses various techniques and methods for producing food-grade nano-emulsion, and reviews the main ingredient and component of food-grade nano-emulsions. Further, the book includes a critical review of the engineering aspect of fabricating food-grade nano-emulsions and describe recently developed vitamin encapsulated nano-systems. In closing, it discuss the challenges and opportunities of characterizing nano-emulsified systems, the market risks and opportunities of nano-emulsified foods, and packaging techniques and safety issues - including risk identification and risk management - for nano-foods. The book offers a unique guide for scientists and researchers working in this field. It will also help researchers, policymakers, industry personnel, journalists and the general public to understand food nanotechnology in great detail.

This volume provides insight into the pivotal roles of stem cells, exosomes and other microvesicles in biofunction and molecular mechanisms and their therapeutic potential in translational nanomedicine. It further highlights evidence from recent studies as to how stem cell derived exosomes and microRNAs may restore and maintain tissue homeostasis, enable cells to recover critical cellular functions and begin repair regeneration. These early studies in animal models of aging also show evidence of improved immune, cardiovascular and cognitive functions as well as improved health span and life span. The use of exosomes from body fluids to define specific biomarkers for various tumors may also clear the path to patient-targeted treatments by developing exosome-derived microRNA based cancer therapeutics. It is essential reading for graduate students, research fellow and biomedical researchers in academia or the pharmaceutical or biotech industries.

This book explores fascinating topics at the edge of life, guiding the reader all the way from the relation of life processes to the second law of thermodynamics and the abundance of complex organic compounds in the universe through to the latest advances in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. The background to the book is the extraordinary scientific adventures that are being undertaken as progress is made toward the creation of an artificial cell and the control of life processes. This journey involves input from research areas as diverse as genetic engineering, physical chemistry, and information theory. Life is to be thought of not only as a chemical event but also as an information process, with the genome a repository of information gathered over time through evolution. Knowledge of the mechanisms affecting the increase in complexity associated with evolutionary paths is improving, and there appear to be analogies with the evolution of the technologies promoting the development of our society. The book will be of wide interest to students at all levels and to others with an interest in the subject.

This volume explores the latest available wet-lab techniques and computational methods to study in-cell small-molecule behavior and interactions with their targets. The chapters in this book discuss topics such as disease-relevant models for chemical biology studies, target engagement using cellular thermal shift assay or bioluminescence resonance energy transfer; visualization of bio-active small molecules Raman microscopy; (phospho-)proteomics and transcriptomics for mode-of-action studies, CRISPR/Cas9-based chemogenomic profiling in mammalian cells; predicting drug interactions using computational approaches; comparison of compound-induced profiles using high-content imaging or cancer cell line panels and web-based tools for polypharmacology prediction. 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 thorough, Systems Chemical Biology: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for novice or expert scientists and researchers trying to initiate or continue their chemical biology studies at a systems level.

Immunology has emerged as a key component of the curricula of graduate and postgraduate courses in biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, and other interdisciplinary fields of biology, including zoology, veterinary science, and medicine. As a basic introductory textbook on one of the fastest-moving and most challenging areas of immunological science, this book contains the most recent information about immunologic mechanisms and their importance, along with various molecular techniques employed in immunology. The short and concise text helps make the structures, processes, and interactions of the immune system easily comprehensible. The book includes chapters on immunoinformatics as well as the immune system of the brain, rarely found in any of the immunology books published so far. Many diverse and interesting aspects of the advances in immunology have also been covered, including tumor immunology and immunodeficiency disorders. The easy-to-understand concepts presented in the textbook make it an ideal companion for learners preparing for competitive and other examinations. Undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students, people from the industry and academia, and research scholars will immensely benefit from it.

This book provides insights into the genetics and the latest advances in genomics research on the common bean, offering a timely overview of topics that are pertinent for future developments in legume genomics. The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important grain legume crop for food consumption worldwide, as well as a model for legume research, and the availability of the genome sequence has completely changed the paradigm of the ongoing research on the species. Key topics covered include the numerous genetic and genomic resources, available tools, the identified genes and quantitative trait locus (QTL) identified, and there is a particular emphasis on domestication. It is a valuable resource for students and researchers interested in the genetics and genomics of the common bean and legumes in general.

Handbook of the Zoology of Amphistomes provides a comprehensive survey on the morphology, ecology, systematics, and zoogeography of amphistomes, which are a group of digenetic trematodes parasitic in vertebrates. The handbook features the special morphological characteristics of amphistomes, including the structure and types of muscular organs; a short diagnosis for each species (when possible), as well as a line drawing of each adult fluke; a zoogeographical analysis, including the host-parasite coevolution, distributional patterns, and characterization of faunas within the zoogeographical realm; and a possible evolutionary scenario based on holomorphological characteristics. Parasitologists, helminthologists, zoologists, and biologists working with ecological associations will find this book an essential reference source for their work with amphistomes.

Immunotherapeutics, Volume 129 in the Advances in Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology series highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on a variety of topics, including Vaccines for the prophylaxis and treatment of HPV, Lung-targeted RNA-based therapeutics, Clostridium difficile: Current overview and future perspectives, Antivenoms for treatment of snake bites, Natural killer cell-based strategies for immunotherapy of cancer, Immunological insights of selectins in human disease mechanism, Current update, challenges, and future aspects of immunotherapeutics in non-small cell lung cancer, In silico interaction analysis of NEMO binding domain peptide on the NFkB protein, and much more.

What are genes? What do genes do? These seemingly simple questions are in fact challenging to answer accurately. As a result, there are widespread misunderstandings and over-simplistic answers, which lead to common conceptions widely portrayed in the media, such as the existence of a gene 'for' a particular characteristic or disease. In reality, the DNA we inherit interacts continuously with the environment and functions differently as we age. What our parents hand down to us is just the beginning of our life story. This comprehensive book analyses and explains the gene concept, combining philosophical, historical, psychological and educational perspectives with current research in genetics and genomics. It summarises what we currently know and do not know about genes and the potential impact of genetics on all our lives. Making Sense of Genes is an accessible but rigorous introduction to contemporary genetics concepts for non-experts, undergraduate students, teachers and healthcare professionals.

This book explores fascinating topics at the edge of life, guiding the reader all the way from the relation of life processes to the second law of thermodynamics and the abundance of complex organic compounds in the universe through to the latest advances in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. The background to the book is the extraordinary scientific adventures that are being undertaken as progress is made toward the creation of an artificial cell and the control of life processes. This journey involves input from research areas as diverse as genetic engineering, physical chemistry, and information theory. Life is to be thought of not only as a chemical event but also as an information process, with the genome a repository of information gathered over time through evolution. Knowledge of the mechanisms affecting the increase in complexity associated with evolutionary paths is improving, and there appear to be analogies with the evolution of the technologies promoting the development of our society. The book will be of wide interest to students at all levels and to others with an interest in the subject.

Determining the precise timing for the evolutionary origin of groups of organisms has become increasingly important as scientists from diverse disciplines attempt to examine rates of anatomical or molecular evolution and correlate intrinsic biological events to extrinsic environmental events. Molecular clock analyses indicate that many major groups are twice as old, or more, than a literal reading of the fossil record attests, implying that the fossil record is incomplete. Few paleontologists agree that the fossil record is inadequate, arguing instead that our understanding of the molecular clock is far from ideal. Telling the Evolutionary Time: Molecular Clocks and the Fossil Record represents a discussion between molecular biologists and paleontologists, in which they investigate the significance of competing sources of data, explain the nature of molecular clocks and the fossil record, and strive to develop compromise models that incorporate contradictory opinions. These are presented as a series of case studies dealing with many of the most important groups of complex organisms, such as protists, land plants, flowering plants, complex animals, chordates, vertebrates, tetrapods, and modern birds. Bringing fresh insight and various perspectives to a complicated argument, this book assembles all sides of the debate into one comprehensive text. It is a significant volume for research scientists and advanced students across the field of evolutionary biology.

This volume provides a summary of the standard laboratory protocols and methodology commonly used in basic and translational studies in the field of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. Chapters detail including basic RA models, evaluation of disease activity and immunological status, systemic drug delivery, and new research tools. 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, Rheumatoid Arthritis: Methods and Protocols aims to be a basic manual for clinical researchers who are just getting started in the field of intervention study.

The inflammasome is a protein complex composed of an intracellular sensor-typically a Nod-like receptor (NLR), the precursor procaspase-1, and the adaptor ASC. Inflammasome activation leads to the maturation of caspase-1 and the processing of its substrates, IL-1 and IL-18. The inflammasome has been implicated numerous diseases, and blockade of inflammasome-derived IL-1 has beneficial effects on several of these diseases. Different books have been edited about the biology of inflammasomes and about methods to study, however, the implication of this complex in the different diseases and pathological conditions show the need of a book about the clinical implications and therapeutic options. This project will show the context where inflammasomes are being studied and the molecular implications in the medical and clinical contexts. Other important topic of the inflammasomes will be the development of pharmacological inhibitors in order to improve new clinical applications. In this sense, we can find new drugs with inhibitory effects or old drugs with an inhibitory potential effect. There is a need for re-establishing the real benefits of the inflammasome inhibitions in pathological situations and the management of the differents diseases where inflammasomes are implicated.

The atomic structures of macromolecules provide the key to understanding how life works. Aaron Klug led the way in the development of methods for solving such structures and is one of the pioneers of structural molecular biology. He was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1982 for his work. Illuminating both his personal life and scientific achievements, this unique biography begins with Klug's youth in Durban and his studies at Johannesburg, Cape Town and then Trinity College, Cambridge. Holmes proceeds to explore Klug's career from his work on the structure of viruses with Rosalind Franklin at Birkbeck College, London to his time as Director of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge and as President of the Royal Society. Drawing on their long-term collaboration, interviews and unique access to Klug's archives, Holmes provides a fascinating account of an innovative man and his place in the history of structural molecular biology.

This new edition continues to illustrate the power of biological data in knowledge discovery. It describes biological data types and representations with examples for creating a workflow in bioinformation discovery. The concepts in knowledge discovery from data are illustrated using line diagrams. The principles and concepts in knowledge discovery are used for the development of prediction models for simulations of biological reactions and events. Advanced topics in molecular evolution and cellular & molecular biology are addressed using bioinformation gleaned through discovery. Each chapter contains approximately 10 exercises for practice. This will help students to expand their problem solving skills in Bioinformation Discovery. In this new edition, there are three new chapters covering single nucleotide polymorphism, genes, proteins and disease, and protein functions driven by surface electrostatics.

Humans and flies look nothing alike, yet their genetic circuits are remarkably similar. Here, Lewis I. Held, Jr compares the genetics and development of the two to review the evidence for deep homology, the biggest discovery from the emerging field of evolutionary developmental biology. Remnants of the operating system of our hypothetical common ancestor 600 million years ago are compared in chapters arranged by region of the body, from the nervous system, limbs and heart, to vision, hearing and smell. Concept maps provide a clear understanding of the complex subjects addressed, while encyclopaedic tables offer comprehensive inventories of genetic information. Written in an engaging style with a reference section listing thousands of relevant publications, this is a vital resource for scientific researchers, and graduate and undergraduate students.

This book contains research contributions from leading global scholars in nature-inspired computing. It includes comprehensive coverage of each respective topic, while also highlighting recent and future trends. The contributions provides readers with a snapshot of the state of the art in the field of nature-inspired computing and its application. This book has focus on the current researches while highlighting the empirical results along with theoretical concepts to provide a comprehensive reference for students, researchers, scholars, professionals and practitioners in the field of Advanced Artificial Intelligence, Nature-Inspired Algorithms and Soft Computing.

This book describes efforts to improve subject-independent automated classification techniques using a better feature extraction method and a more efficient model of classification. It evaluates three popular saliency criteria for feature selection, showing that they share common limitations, including time-consuming and subjective manual de-facto standard practice, and that existing automated efforts have been predominantly used for subject dependent setting. It then proposes a novel approach for anomaly detection, demonstrating its effectiveness and accuracy for automated classification of biomedical data, and arguing its applicability to a wider range of unsupervised machine learning applications in subject-independent settings.

This book introduces the latest international research in the fields of bioinformatics and computational biology. It includes various studies in the area of machine learning in bioinformatics, systems biology, omics data analysis and mining, biomedical applications and sequences, which were selected by an international committee and presented at the 12th International Conference on Practical Applications of Computational Biology & Bioinformatics held in Toledo in June 2018.

This thorough volume provides an in-depth introduction to and discussion of microRNAs (miRs) and their targets, miR functions, and computational techniques applied in miR research, thus serving the need for a comprehensive book focusing on miR target genes, miR regulation mechanisms, miR functions performed in various human diseases, and miR databases/knowledgebases. Without prior knowledge of the area of study, computational biologists, computer scientists, bioinformaticians, bench biologists, as well as clinical investigators will find it easy to follow the techniques in this collection. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include the kind of detailed implementation advice that ensures successful results. Accessible and practical, Bioinformatics in MicroRNA Research functions as an ideal guide for researchers of all backgrounds to explore this vital area of study.

Viral Vectors in Cancer Immunotherapy, Volume 379 in the International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology presents the latest on cancer immunotherapy and how it has transformed cancer treatment through advances in immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapy. Chapters in this new release include Past, present and future of viral vectors in cancer immunotherapy, Alphaviruses in cancer immunotherapy, Adenoviral-based cancer gene therapy, Armored modified vaccinia Ankara in cancer immunotherapy, Strategies of Semliki Forest virus in immuno-oncology, Maraba virus in cancer immunotherapy, Oncolytic viruses in hematological malignancies, Oncolytic virus for cancer therapies: Overview and future directions, and more. The use of genetically modified viruses allows the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules, while the immune system receives danger signals from the viruses themselves. In some cases, the virus can also induce tumor cell death. This book will review advances in virus-based cancer immunotherapy in both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.

This fully updated book collects numerous data mining techniques, reflecting the acceleration and diversity of the development of data-driven approaches to the life sciences. The first half of the volume examines genomics, particularly metagenomics and epigenomics, which promise to deepen our knowledge of genes and genomes, while the second half of the book emphasizes metabolism and the metabolome as well as relevant medicine-oriented subjects. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include the kind of detail and expert implementation advice that is useful for getting optimal results. Authoritative and practical, Data Mining for Systems Biology: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition serves as an ideal resource for researchers of biology and relevant fields, such as medical, pharmaceutical, and agricultural sciences, as well as for the scientists and engineers who are working on developing data-driven techniques, such as databases, data sciences, data mining, visualization systems, and machine learning or artificial intelligence that now are central to the paradigm-altering discoveries being made with a higher frequency.

This volume offers detailed step-by-step instructions to allow beginners and experts alike to run appropriate copy number variants (CNV) detection software on a dataset of choice and discern between false positive noise and true positive CNV signals. Chapters guide readers through single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chips, optical mapping assembly techniques, and current open-source programs specializing in CNV detection. 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, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Copy Number Variants: Methods and Protocols aims to provide guidance to Bioinformaticians and Molecular Biologists who are interested in identifying copy number variants (CNV) with a wide variety of experimental media