The tools of molecular biology have revolutionised our understanding of gene structure and function and changed the teaching of genetics in a fundamental way. The transition from classical genetics to molecular genetics was initiated by two discoveries. One was the discovery that DNA has a complementary double helix structure and the other that a universal genetic code does exist. Both led to the acceptance of the central dogma that RNA molecules are made on DNA templates.
The last twenty years have seen remarkable growth in our knowledge of molecular genetics, most of which is the outcome of recombinant DNA technology. This technology which is not limited to cloning, sequencing, and expression has created a biotechnology industry of its own, the purpose of which is to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in medicine. Both industries in collaboration with the biomedical community are now engaged in laying down the foundation of molecular medicine.
The present volume seeks to provide a coherent account of the new science of molecular genetics. Its content however is by no means exhaustive, partly because of the publication explosion but more because of space restrictions. A rudimentary knowledge of genetics on the reader's part is assumed. Quite understandably, considerable emphasis is placed on major technical advances but not without expounding numerous new ideas and phenomena including alternative splicing, POR, DNA methylation, genomic imprinting, and so on.

Food or calorie restriction has been shown in many short-lived animals and the rhesus monkey to prolong life-span. Life-long nutrition studies are not possible in humans because of their long survival. Studies over two to six years in healthy adult humans have, however, shown that a 20% reduction in food or calorie intake slows many indices of normal and disease-related aging. Thus, it is widely believed that long-term reduction in calorie or food intake will delay the onset of age-related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, and so prolong life.

Over the last 20 or more years there has been a progressive rise in food intake in many countries of the world, accompanied by a rising incidence of obesity. Thus our increasing food and calorie intake has been linked to the rising incidence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in early adult life. It is accepted that overeating, accompanied by reduced physical exercise, will lead to more age-related diseases and shortening of life-span. The answer is to reduce our calorie intake, improve our diet, and exercise more. But calorie restriction is extremely difficult to maintain for long periods. How then can we solve this problem?

Edited by a team of highly distinguished academics, this book provides the latest information on the beneficial effects of calorie restriction on health and life-span. This book brings us closer to an understanding at the molecular, cellular and whole organism level of the way forward.

With the emergence of fertility declines in the greater part of the developing world, study of the phenomenon has increased profoundly over the last three decades, and a voluminous amount of literature has emerged. Yet our knowledge of the decline is scattered in numerous publications, making sources difficult to find. This bibliography provides a guide to the literature on fertility decline in Latin America, Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. It will be an invaluable asset for population experts and students wishing to do research on fertility decline. Covering the literature from 1960 to 1997, the book draws on extensive sources including books, articles in leading population journals, research papers, and dissertations. The opening chapter covers the literature on theories and concepts underlying fertility decline. The next three chapters are devoted to the major geographical areas--Latin America, Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa--and the final chapter looks at general literature on fertility declines in developing countries.

Proceedings of an international symposium, held in Ulm, Germany, September 21-24, 1994

Rhim and Kremer s state-of-the-art volume on "Human Cell Transformation: Role of Stem Cells and the Microenvironment" highlights the latest findings on the current state of human cell transformation model systems and provides the insight into the molecular and cellular changes involved in the conversion of normal cells to neoplastic cells.

Chapters cover all recently developed novel human cell models. In addition, the rapidly growing fields of knowledge regarding not only stem cells in cancer progression, but also the role of the microenvironments in human carcinogenesis are discussed. A wealth of topics is presented including:

. Derivation of epithelial, fibroblastic, and hematopoietic "in vitro" model systems

. Oncogenes

. Tumor suppressor genes

. Viral transformation

. "In vitro" model systems for viral, chemical and radiation carcinogenesis

. Cell aging

. The multistep nature of human carcinogenesis. The role of stem cells and the microenvironment in tumorigenesis

. The genes involved in multistep carcinogenesis

Unique in both scope and focus devoted solely to human cell transformation systems "Human Cell Transformation: Role of Stem Cells and the Microenvironment" provides unparalleled, in-depth coverage for cancer researchers, cell and molecular biologists, hematologists, virologists, and workers in related fields.

Essential reading for everyone who needs to be kept up-to-date in this fast-paced area

Features

O Multistep models

O Breast cancer/Stem cells

O Prostate cancer/Stem cells

O Multistep / Genes"

Aging is an almost universal process within biological systems, one which leads to a decline in functional capacity, disease onset, and eventually death. There has been much interest in recent years to elucidate the molecular mec- nisms that underlie the aging process. Many theories have been proposed since the last century that aim to explain the causes of aging. There is no one theory that completely satisfies the phenotype of aging, but genetics and environm- tal factors play an important role in the etiology of age-related pathologies and the aging process. However, there is still much to be learned about the aging process which has been termed one of the last great frontiers in biology. De- graphic changes worldwide are leading to increased average life expectancies within our populations. These changes in population characteristics will impact upon the economies of the supporting society, with increasing healthcare and infrastructural costs arising from the prevalence of age-related pathologies and other physical disabilities associated with advancing years. Many researchers worldwide are working in the attempt to identify key cellular processes through which it might one day be possible to slow down the aging process and thus increase the health span of humans. Numerous research projects-from the cellular through to tissue, organ, and whole organism studies-are currently underway to investigate the mul- factorial aging process.

The first section of this volume consists of five chapters to the nature of membrane transport systems. A chapter on secondary active glucose transport has been omitted because this topic is slated to appear in the Nephrobiology module. Chapter 6 deals with oxidase control of plasma membrane proton transport, while chapter 7 addresses the question of how cell volume is regulated. Although we chose not to have a separate chapter covering additional co-transport systems namely, Na+ -K+ -2CI-, KCI, -HCO-3, as well as CI- -HCO-3 exchange and K+ and CI- movements through channels, the role of each in cell volume regulation is emphasized in Chapter 7.
Instead of devoting an entire section to the thermodynamics of metabolism, we thought it desirable to have the subjects of medical imaging and NMR of cell metabolism discussed in some detail in two chapters. These are followed by a chapter on the thermodynamic instrument - the calorimeter. Calrimetry allows the measurement of net changes of heat in cells, tissues, organs and whole body. As will be recognized, heat dissipation does not arise only from chemical reactions but also from interactions between macromolecules and conformational changes in protein complexes and mass Ca2+ movement such as that occurring in contracting skeletal muscle. The last chapter provides an account of equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermodynamics and the enthalpy balance method. It reveals that calometric measurements are useful in studies of clinical and toxicological problems.

This book provides the most up-to-date review of the simian virus 40 (SV40) minichromosome as a model for the mammalian chromosome in studies of DNA replication. It focuses on disruption of DNA replication by anticancer drugs and DNA-damaging agents. There is a strong emphasis on the unique advantages of SV40 as an experimental system for the analysis of these classes of anticancer drug mechanisms. The new high-resolution gel electrophoresis methods for the analysis of SV40 DNA replication are covered in detail to aid readers in designing and interpreting similar experiments.
Key Features
* Presents unique advantages of SV40 as an experimental system for the study of classes of anticancer drugs
* Details new high-resolution gel electrophoresis methods for the analysis of SV40 DNA replication
* Provides details to help the reader design and interpret similar experiments

Originally published in 1976, this volume reports research that will help us to understand the causes of psychogenic diseases. It deals both experimentally and theoretically with the question of symptom specificity in psychosomatic research - why some individuals respond to psychological stress with gastric disorders, others with sexual impotence, and still others with high blood pressure. As the author notes in summarizing his conclusions, "The repeated pairing of activation of a given organic system with intense nervous stress directs the pathological influence of the stressor primarily upon the system activated; subsequently the natural stimuli which would ordinarily activate the system in a normal manner sustain the pathological stressor's effect as a conditioned stimulus for the stressor effect." The translation of this work from the original Russian brings to the attention of Western investigators new and useful models of stress-induced disorders, and sheds new light on the pervasive problem of psychosomatic disease.

This book brings together the various fields of functional genomics and systems biology that provide information on metabolic function. There is special emphasis on the identification of drug targets. The book includes practical examples from the various "omic" sciences as well as theoretical examples of how integrated knowledge of these sciences can be applied to drug discovery. It is of interest to researchers in the pharmaceutical drug discovery environment.

This conference and monograph were the result of many collective efforts. The whole concept was formulated one early Wednesday morning at our weekly research meeting at Children's Hospital in our division of urology. We have been most fortunate to have a close collaboration with Bob Levin, Ed Macarak, and Pam Howard who have helped steer the course of our division's growing interest in basic science. At our weekly meetings our laboratory fellow will summarize their current work. Other ongoing areas of investigation in our labs and elsewhere are discussed. We have always made an effort to try and understand what other groups are doing who are working in the area of bladder smooth muscle research. It occurred to us that the best way to really know what everyone working in this field was doing would be to sponsor a 2-day meeting where we could all gather to discuss our ongoing work. A major limitation of the annual meeting of the American Urologic Association or the urology section of the American Academy of Pediatrics is that the scientfic sessions are limited as these are meant to be primarily clinical meetings (as they should be). For this reason the idea of a meeting devoted solely to research about the urinary bladder had great appeal. In addition to allowing for longer presentations than the standard 5 to 7 minutes, every effort would be made to encourage a dialogue amongst the presenters and the audience.

This book provides a concise introduction to the anatomy of the skeleton and to osteology. It gives a sound and comprehensive grounding in skeletal anatomy. Highly illustrated, with line diagrams, x-rays and CT and MR images, the text describes the principal anatomical features of the bones and the structure of the human skeleton.Each chapter is self-contained so the student can study them in any order, and lose no study time referring back to chapters for other references to a subject. This new edition has been extensively revised and, where necessary, the academic level has been upgraded to make it fully appropriate for degree level students as well as for trainee radiologists. The new 2-column format makes the layout more attractive and the text easier to read. The text is easy to follow and linked alongside the appropriate illustrations where possible. A comprehensive and easy-to-use index is included.includes many new illustrations, CT and MR images, and relabelled line drawings extensively revised and updated throughout where necessary, the text has been brought up to degree level standard new 2-column format allows illustrations to be placed right beside relevant text where possible

This book is unique in covering a wide range of design and analysis issues in genetic studies of rare variants, taking advantage of collaboration of the editors with many experts in the field through large-scale international consortia including the UK10K Project, GO-T2D and T2D-GENES. Chapters provide details of state-of-the-art methodology for rare variant detection and calling, imputation and analysis in samples of unrelated individuals and families. The book also covers analytical issues associated with the study of rare variants, such as the impact of fine-scale population structure, and with combining information on rare variants across studies in a meta-analysis framework. Genetic association studies have in the last few years substantially enhanced our understanding of factors underlying traits of high medical importance, such as body mass index, lipid levels, blood pressure and many others. There is growing empirical evidence that low-frequency and rare variants play an important role in complex human phenotypes. This book covers multiple aspects of study design, analysis and interpretation for complex trait studies focusing on rare sequence variation. In many areas of genomic research, including complex trait association studies, technology is in danger of outstripping our capacity to analyse and interpret the vast amounts of data generated. The field of statistical genetics in the whole-genome sequencing era is still in its infancy, but powerful methods to analyse the aggregation of low-frequency and rare variants are now starting to emerge. The chapter Functional Annotation of Rare Genetic Variants is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, nearly thirty million legal abortions have been performed in the United States. Every year hundreds of thousands of women choose to have abortions. Yet a veil of secrecy is drawn across abortion sites, disturbed only by protest demonstrations and violence outside clinics. For years the antichoice movement has loudly condemned the abortion procedure. Opponents use such words as "baby-killing", "murder", and "blood-dripping abortionists" to describe what goes on in an abortion clinic - highly charged words that are intended to frighten women who are facing one of the most important decisions of their lives. What does - and does not - go on inside an abortion clinic? Why do women seek this procedure? Why would a physician specialize in this service? Why I Am An Abortion Doctor provides a unique, firsthand look at the life and work of a leading abortion provider. With compassion and courage Dr. Suzanne T. Poppema shares the intimate details of her private and professional struggle - including a view from the abortion clinic operating room as well as a recollection of her own fifth-month abortion - to promote better understanding of the reality of abortion and the violent forces that threaten a woman's right to choose. Dr. Poppema's journey has led her from a Catholic upbringing in rural New Hampshire to professional training at Harvard Medical School, where she made a critical career decision to forgo the fame and fortune awaiting those who enter lucrative medical specialties in favor of becoming a family physician. She has traveled to some of the poorest places on earth, where she observed the expendability of human life and thesubjugation of women. Dr. Poppema's work has brought her a world-wide reputation as an authority on abortion. She served as a member of an international panel in Paris to discuss the French abortion pill, RU 486. Her own clinic was chosen as one of the few U.S. test sites for this controversial drug. Why I Am An Abortion Doctor is a compelling, informative book for readers on both sides of the controversy. It is a groud-breaking work that puts a human face on abortion and tells precisely what the procedure involves, who it helps, and why women seek to terminate their pregnancies.

In most peroxisomal disorders the nervous system is severely affected which explains the clinical and community burden they represent. This is the first book to focus not only on the mutations causing these inherited illnesses, but also on mechanisms that regulate, suppress or enhance expression of genes and their products (enzymes). Indeed since the success and completion of the Human Genome Project all genes (coding DNA sequences) are known. However, of many, their function, and the role of the gene product has not been determined. An example is X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, the most frequent peroxisomal disorder. Children are born healthy, but in more than 1 out of 3, demyelination of the brain starts unpredictably and they die in a vegetative state. The gene mutated in most families has been known for 10 years; but the true role of the encoded protein, ALDp, is still speculative; and within the same family, very severe and asymptomatic clinical histories co-exist, unexplained by the mutation.

One of the primary advances for the 21st century is progress beyond the need to defend the findings of behavioral genetic investigations of intelligence. With the advent of developmental behavioral genetics and molecular genetics researchers have taken their discoveries far beyond simple nature/nurture constructs to a finer understanding of how genes and environment intersect to affect cognitive function.

"Behavior Genetics of Cognition across the Lifespan" presents the state of the field in well-documented detail as noted experts examine gene-environment interactions in cognitive function from childhood into old age. Fluidity is at the heart of this coverage: normative and non-normative brain development get equal attention, and statistical, molecular, biological, brain imaging, and neurobiological approaches contribute separately and in combination to the findings.

All major life stages are examined as periods of gene-based cognitive change, including midlife, which until recently has been considered a period for marking time until "real" age-related change occurs. And the book is written so that individual chapters can be as useful on their own as the volume is as a whole. Among the topics covered in depth:

Cognitive abilities in childhood and adolescenceGenetic and environmental influences on intellectual disabilities in childhoodCognition in middle adulthoodGene by environment interplay in cognitive agingDementia: genes, environments, interactionsBrain imaging and cognition

By synthesizing where the field is today--and identifying issues that need further attention--"Behavior Genetics of Cognition across the Lifespan" is a bedrock text for behavioral geneticists, cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists."

Part of the recognised Infertility Management Series, this handbook is a complete guide to ovarian stimulation. Beginning with an overview of the physiology of gonadotropins, the following chapters discuss ways in which clinicians may better predict ovarian response to stimulation and how to select and tailor appropriate protocols. The book covers both oral and injectable agents for stimulation, and protocols for IVF and IUI, egg donors, oncofertility patients, and for low ovarian response. The final chapter details complications in ovarian stimulation, and their prevention and management. Other titles in the series include: Investigating Infertility, Intrauterine Insemination, Practical Management of Male Infertility, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Key points Part of Infertility Management Series providing complete guide to ovarian stimulation Helps clinicians better predict ovarian response and select appropriate treatment protocols Covers oral and injectable agents for different patient groups Edited by recognised team of experts in reproductive medicine

This book describes important developments and emerging trends in experimental and clinical cancer gene therapy. It reflects the tremendous advances made over recent years with respect to immunogenes, suicide genes and gene correction therapies, as well as in gene suppression and miRNA therapies. Many of the described strategies focus on the generation of more efficient and specific means of attack at known and novel cellular targets associated with tumor development and progression. The book also details parallel improvements in vector design, vector delivery, and therapeutic efficacy. It offers readers a stimulating, broad overview of advances in the field, linking experimental strategies to their clinical applications.

This book describes novel algorithms based on interval-valued fuzzy methods that are expected to improve classification and decision-making processes under incomplete or imprecise information. At first, it introduces interval-valued fuzzy sets. It then discusses new methods for aggregation on interval-valued settings, and the most common properties of interval-valued aggregation operators. It then presents applications such as decision making using interval-valued aggregation, and classification in case of missing values. Interesting applications of the developed algorithms to DNA microarray analysis and in medical decision support systems are shown. The book is intended not only as a timely report for the community working on fuzzy sets and their extensions but also for researchers and practitioners dealing with the problems of uncertain or imperfect information.

The Ontogeny of Human Bonding Systems takes an interdisciplinary look at the phenomena of human bonding. The authors draw upon behavioral genetics, molecular genetics of behavior, cognitive and affective neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, human ethology, behavioral ecology, and the study of attachment processes within developmental psychology. The topics will emphasize human reproduction, and fertility-related behavior in particular, and the evolutionary origins and neural underpinnings of such behavior. This book is for anyone interested in the evolutionary origins, neural underpinnings, and psychological structure involved in human relationships.

Many new antileukotriene drugs are now marketed as antiasthma drugs and represent the first new drugs in this field since the 1970s. This book covers the steps that have led to the discovery and development of these new drugs and offers detailed descriptions of their clinical applications. The review chapters on the main aspects of basic and applied leukotriene research are written by leading specialists in the field, and the volume takes a new approach in presenting information of particular interest to both scientists and clinicians in the fields of asthma, inflammation and allergic diseases.

Researchers seeking problems that offer more hope of success often avoid subjects that seem to be difficult to approach experimentally, or subjects for which experimental results are difficult to interpret. The breakdown part of protein turnover in vivo, particularly in nervous tissue, was such a subject in the past - it was difficult to measure and difficult to explore the mechanisms involved. For factors that influence protein metabolism, it was thought that protein content, function, and distribution are controlled only by the synthetic mechanisms that can supply the needed specificity and response to stimuli. The role of breakdown was thought to be only a general metabolic digestion, elimination of excess polypeptides. We now know that the role of breakdown is much more complex: it has multiple functions, it is coupled to turnover, and it can affect protein composition, function, and synthesis. In addition to eliminating abnormal proteins, breakdown has many modulatory functions: it serves to activate and inactivate enzymes, modulate membrane function, alter receptor channel properties, affect transcription and cell cycle, form active peptides, and much more. The hydrolysis of peptide bonds often involves multiple steps, many enzymes, and cycles (such as ubiquination), and often requires the activity of enzyme complexes. Their activation, modification, and inactivation can thus play an important role in biological functions, with numerous families of proteases participating. The specific role of each remains to be elucidated.

This volume provides an interdisciplinary perspective of applying Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology to cancer research. It aims to systematically introduce the concept of NGS, a variety of NGS platforms and their practical implications in cancer biology.This unique and comprehensive text will integrate the unprecedented NGS technology into various cancer research projects as opposed to most books which offer a detailed description of the technology. This volume will present true experimental results with concrete data processing pipelines, discuss the bottleneck of each platform for real project in cancer research. In additional, single cancer cell sequencing as the proof of concept will be introduced in this book, along with cutting-edge information provided will help the intended audience to develop a comprehensive understanding of the NGS technology and practical whole genome sequencing data analysis and rapidly translate into their own research, specifically in the field of cancer biology.

Strong body odor is a condition for which, until now, there have been few treatment methods. The Japanese authors, encouraged by the willingness of Oriental patients to undergo radical treatment, have developed the subcutaneous tissue shaving method, which eliminates the condition in a very short period of time without ugly scarring. The book Human Body Odor not only introduces the completely new subcutaneous tissue shaving method, it also questions conventional theories on the hair cycle itself and throws a new hypothesis about the process of hair generation and regeneration into the scientific arena. This could even lead in the future to a formula for retarding hair loss! Developed over the past twenty years, the authors' new surgical method for the radical treatment of bromidrosis represents a landmark in cosmetic surgery and dermatology!