This book examines the visual representations used in the popular communication of genetics. Drawing upon public science communication theories, information design theories, and social semiotics, the book offers both in-depth analyses and high-level synthesis of how genetics is visualized for the U.S. public from the early 20th century to the present. Individual chapters focus on six visual genres: photographs, micrographs, illustrations, genetic code images, quantitative graphs, and molecular structure images. Han Yu challenges readers to consider the significance of these images we often take for granted, including their historical contexts, scientific backstories, information richness, stylistic choices, economic motivations, and social implications. In doing so, the book reveals the complex cognitive, affective, and social-cultural factors that both shape and are shaped by these images. The book will be particularly useful to scholars of public science communication and visual communication, practitioners of science communication, and scientists from a range of related life science disciplines.

Written by 30 authors from all over the world, this book provides a unique overview of exciting discoveries and surprising developments in human genetics over the last 50 years. The individual contributions, based on seven international workshops on the history of human genetics, cover a diverse range of topics, including the early years of the discipline, gene mapping and diagnostics. Further, they discuss the status quo of human genetics in different countries and highlight the value of genetic counseling as an important subfield of medical genetics.

Cancer is an incredibly diverse and difficult disease to treat, and even after decades of research there is no definitive cure. Therefore, it is highly crucial to search for novel and new organic molecules with high potency, low toxicity, and low mutagenicity with selective anticancer properties that are able to overcome frequently developed resistance to available drugs. Heterocyclic anticancer agents are an important class of drugs for cancer therapies. This book explores different heterocycles and their use as anticancer therapies. Topics covered include different heterocyclic derivatives, the impact of heterocycles on anticancer agent development, and naturally occurring heterocycles.

Every time a cell divides, a copy of its genomic DNA has to be faithfully copied to generate new genomic DNA for the daughter cells. The process of DNA replication needs to be precisely regulated to ensure that replication of the genome is complete and accurate, but that re-replication does not occur. Errors in DNA replication can lead to genome instability and cancer. The process of replication initiation is of paramount importance, because once the cell is committed to replicate DNA, it must finish this process. A great deal of progress has been made in understanding how DNA replication is initiated in eukaryotic cells in the past ten years, but this is the first one-source book on these findings. The Initiation of DNA Replication in Eukaryotes will focus on how DNA replication is initiated in eukaryotic cells. While the concept of replication initiation is simple, its elaborate regulation and integration with other cell processes results in a high level of complexity. This book will cover how the position of replication initiation is chosen, how replication initiation is integrated with the phases of the cell cycle, and how it is regulated in the case of damage to DNA. It is the cellular protein machinery that enables replication initiation to be activated and regulated. We now have an in-depth understanding of how cellular proteins work together to start DNA replication, and this new resource will reveal a mechanistic description of DNA replication initiation as well.

This indispensable volume highlights recent studies identifying epigenetic mechanisms as essential regulators of skin development, stem cell activity and regeneration. Chapters are contributed by leading experts and promote the skin as an accessible model system for studying mechanisms that control organ development and regeneration. The timely discussions contained throughout are of broad relevance to other areas of biology and medicine and can help inform the development of novel therapeutics for skin disorders as well as new approaches to skin regeneration that target the epigenome. Part of the highly successful Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine series, Epigenetic Regulation of Skin Development and Regeneration uncovers the fundamental significance of epigenetic mechanisms in skin development and regeneration, and emphasizes the development of new therapies for a number of skin disorders, such as pathological conditions of epidermal differentiation, pigmentation and carcinogenesis. At least six categories of researchers will find this book essential, including stem cell, developmental, hair follicle or molecular biologists, and gerontologists or clinical dermatologists.

Leading researchers are specially invited to provide a complete understanding of the key topics in these archetypal multidisciplinary fields. In a form immediately useful to scientists, this periodical aims to filter, highlight and review the latest developments in these rapidly advancing fields.

This detailed book explores the concepts and applications of epigenome editing, as presented by leading scientists in the field. Beginning with some general and topical reviews, the collection continues by covering the design of DNA-binding devices, optimization of the effector domains, readout of epigenome marks, and approaches for delivery at the cellular and organismal level. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, 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 practical, Epigenome Editing: Methods and Protocols will be of great assistance to people new to the field but also to those already engaged, as epigenetic editing is still a relatively unexplored field with many issues to be resolved.

This book is the first to bring together an interdisciplinary collection of essays on surrogacy and egg donation from three socially, legally and culturally distinct countries - India, Israel and Germany. It presents contributions from experts in the field of social and cultural sciences, bioethics, law as well as psychology and provides critical-reflective comparative analysis of the socio-ethical factors shaping surrogacy and egg donation practices across these three countries. This book highlights the importance of a comparative perspective to 'make sense' of controversies and transitions in this highly contested area of artificial reproductive technologies. It demonstrates how local developments cannot be isolated from global events and vice versa. Therefore, this volume can be used as a standard reference for anyone seeking to understand surrogacy and egg donation from a macro-perspective in the next decade.

Stem cells hold great promise for cell therapy, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications. This book highlights the potency of stem cells, their property of self-renewal and their ability to differentiate into different cell lineages. It further describes the different markers to identify stem cells, sources, methods of isolation, culture including 2D, 3D and beyond and their cryopreservation. This is among the first books to discuss glycosylation and sialylation in stem cells. Chapters describe application of stem cells in regenerative medicine and therapy, and highlight their application in cancer therapy and spinal cord injury. The book talks about the important patents on stem cells. The book also highlights the plant stem cells, discussing their pluoripotent nature, role in organ regeneration after injury, specific stem cell niches, that signals to block differentiation studied in plants shoot, root, and vascular meristems, differentiation of plant stem cell, transcriptional regulation and epigenetic modification of plant stem cells. This book is exciting and cutting edge. It will be of great interest to doctors, students and researchers in the field of regenerative medicine, cancer , biotechnology and plant sciences.

Rapid progress has been made in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cell growth and oncogenesis during the past decade. Special attention has been given to the presentation of the frequently neglected close correlation between changes in signal transduction and metabolic pathways during oncogenesis. This book advances the knowledge of mechanisms regulating metabolism and functioning of vitamin A and offers the most recent results of research on the clinical efficiency of retinoids in skin disorders and cancer. The book presents recent findings on the regulation of cell growth in normal and neoplastic tissues by growth factors including hormones, and by the activation and inactivation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, respectively. It also offers a survey of the molecular and cell biochemistry of retinoids. Basic researchers in biochemistry, pharmacology and cell biology as well as clinicians will find this book very informative and up-to-date. This book advances the knowledge of mechanisms regulating metabolism and functioning of vitamin A and offers the most recent results of research on clinical efficiency of retinoids in skin disorders and cancer. Basic researchers in biochemistry, pharmacology, cell biology, and clinicians will find this book very informative and up-to-date. The chapters, organized in six sections, are contributed by leading scientists who have been working in the retinoid field for decades. Their experience and competence is aknowledged worldwide.

The mechanism of information transfer between cells is the subject of Introduction to Signal Transduction. Until recently various aspects of signaling by hormones were studied (and taught) under the subject of endocrinology, and signaling by neurotransmitters was the subject of neurochemistry. With growing awareness of the many similarities between hormonal and neurotransmitter signalling, recent years have witnessed the emergence of Signal Transduction as an independent discipline covering all aspects of information transfer between cells irrespective of the nature and source of the signals. This book is designed for senior undergraduate/graduate-level students interested in a basic understanding of the major participants in the cellular Signal Transduction pathways. The book covers the major topics in Signal Transduction: receptors, which recognize the signals at the cell surface; G-proteins, which transduce the signals; and adenylate cyclases, guanlate cyclases, and phospholipases, which generate second messengers. Chapters also focus on ion channels, phosphodiesterases, protein kinases, phosphoprotein phosphatases and nitric oxide, which participate in the cellular response to signals; the health consequences of defects in Signal Transduction proteins; and the central role Signal Transduction plays in drug abuse. The book is suitable for an introductory course in Signal Transduction as well as for self-study and review. It is recommended for biology and medical students, as well as for interdisciplinary science majors and pharmaceutical researchers.

This contributed volume is the first of a series that introduces safe, feasible, and practical decellularization and recellularization techniques for tissue and organ reconstruction. We have put special emphasis on the research areas most likely to develop well-engineered scaffolds for tissue and organ engineering, while presenting easily applicable bench-to-bedside approaches highlighting the latest technical innovations in the field. This book includes both a fundamental discussion for a broad understanding of the basis of tissue repair and substitution, as well as chapters written by world renowned specialists from 20 countries providing deeper discussions and analysis of related sub disciplines. Within these pages, the reader will find state-of-the-art protocols and current clinical challenges in cell and tissue biology, including accurate and comprehensive information on extracellular matrices, natural biomaterials, tissue dynamics, morphogenesis, stem cells, cellular fate progressions, cell and tissue properties for in-vitro and in-vivo applications. This comprehensive and carefully organized treatise provides a clear framework for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers new to the field, but also for researchers and practitioners looking to expand their knowledge on tissue and organ reconstruction.

The study of the molecular events leading to cellular transformation and cancer has progressed significantly in the last decade, and it has become apparent that many genes subject to modification in cancer are, in fact, transcription factors that govern the execution of the genetic programme of the cell. Transcription factors can behave either as oncogenes or as tumour suppressor genes. To date only a limited number of transcription factors have been associated with cancer. This volume deals with several transcription factor families that were first identified in oncogenic retroviruses. Each chapter contains a description of the structure of the transcription factors, the nature of target genes, the regulation of their activities, and an explaination of how they can deregulate cell growth and differentiation. This text should be suitable for the specialist scientist and the advanced student

The series comprises critical review articles that keep researchers in different areas of the field informed on the latest research results, ideas, and advances. Contributions to Volume 21 focus on: the clinically diverse diseases classified as peroxisomal disorders; X-linked immunodeficiencies; gen

This book concerns the mathematical modeling and computer simulation of the human stomach. It follows the four modern P's (prevention, prediction, personalization, and precision in medicine) approach in addressing the highly heterogeneous nature of processes underlying gastric motility disorders manifested as gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia, myenteric enteropathy etc. The book comprehensively guides readers through the fundamental theoretical concepts to complex physiological models of the organ. This requires a deep and thorough understanding of driving pathophysiological mechanisms as well as the collaborative effort of specialists working in fundamental and biological science. Such a multidisciplinary partnership is vital because it upholds gnostic capabilities and provides the exchange of thoughts and ideas thus offering broad perspectives into the evolution and management of diseases. The book is a valuable resource for applied mathematicians, computational biologists, bioengineers, physicians, physiologists and researchers working in various fields of biomedicine.

This second edition volume presents a selection of cellular and molecular techniques that can be adapted to cover a range of applications and diseases. The book is divided into three sections: saliva and oral diseases, molecular biosciences, and cell and tissues. The first section contains chapters that discuss proteomic analyses by mass spectrometry and NMR-based metabolomics that can be used to not only study saliva, but also to assess other oral fluids such as gingival crevicular fluid. The second section contains chapters that profile oral microbial communities, quantitative real-time PCR, and adhesion of yeast and bacteria to oral surfaces. The third section deals with a range of approaches that enable the behavior of cells and tissues in both health and disease to be analyzed at the molecular level. 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 comprehensive, Oral Biology: Molecular Techniques and Applications, Second Edition is a useful resource for oral biologists at all levels (students, early career researchers, and experienced veterans), and it provides a ready reference to new techniques and approaches that can be used to answer numerous specific scientific questions that may lead to a deeper understanding and treatments of oral diseases.

In this book, leading figures in the field of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease provide up-to-date information from human clinical trials, cohorts, and animal physiology experiments to reveal the interdependence between parental obesity and health of the offspring. Obesity of the mother and father produces obesity in their offspring, so we are caught up in an intergenerational cycle, which means that even our children's future health is in peril. This book gives a timely and much-needed synthesis of the mechanisms, potential targets of future interventions, and the challenges that need to be overcome in order to break the intergenerational cycle of obesity. This has profound implications for the way in which scientific, clinical and health policy activities are to be directed in order to combat the so-called epidemic of obesity, as well as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The book will be of interest to students, clinicians, researchers and health policy makers who are either seeking an introduction to the area of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease or have a specific interest in the pathogenesis of obesity.

This innovative text explores the cellular transport of organic cations, from functional and structural properties to pharmacological implications and psychiatric developments. The authoritative chapters introduce organic cation transporters and then proceed to discuss their mechanisms such as binding of substrates and inhibitors; their drug dispositions and toxicity; their relationships to genetic and pathophysiological variability; and their roles in endocrine, metabolic, and neurological systems. The final chapters delve into the use of animal models for the study of organic cation transporter function and their possible use in environmental cycling of pharmaceutical residues. This comprehensive volume unites integrative transporter physiology with structural and molecular biology, genetics, pharmacology and pathophysiology, offering a holistic approach to utilizing this novel technique in physiological contexts. It will prove invaluable reading for researchers and students in various areas of integrative, organ, cell and molecular physiology as well as pharmacologists and neurologists.

This book explores how daily and seasonal rhythmicity is generated, how these rhythms are synchronised by our environment, and how they regulate the neuroendocrine systems that impact our physiology and behaviour. The constraints of surviving in a seasonal environment have shaped human evolution and migration, have shaped our societies and cultures, and continue to influence our everyday lives, health and wellbeing. Identifying the mechanisms whereby seasonal rhythmicity is generated and regulates the brain and body is not only important for understanding the natural world and relevant to animal production, it also offers many insights into the human condition. Each chapter is written by an international expert in the field of chronobiology. A historical perspective on how research into photoperiodism and rhythmicity progressed is initially provided, but the main focus of this book is on the remarkable studies in the last few decades that have unravelled the molecular and cellular machinery underpinning circadian and circannual timing. Topics covered include the role of melatonin in communicating seasonal information to the brain and pituitary gland, the neuroanatomical pathways in mammals, birds and fish by which changes in photoperiod reach the hypothalamus, the role of glial cells (tanycytes) and thyroid hormone in seasonal rhythmicity, neuroplasticity across seasons, effects of changing day length on mood, regulation of "clock" gene expression, and the role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This book will appeal to all students and researchers who wish to learn about current and past research on daily and seasonal rhythmicity. This is the tenth volume in the International Neuroendocrine Federation (INF) Masterclass in Neuroendocrinology series (Volumes 1-7 published by Wiley) that aims to illustrate highest standards and encourage the use of the latest technologies in basic and clinical research and hopes to provide inspiration for further exploration into the exciting field of neuroendocrinology.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the field of developmental programming of ageing phenotypes. Although gerontological research has traditionally focused on later stages of the life cycle, growing evidence indicates that both the rate of ageing-associated functional declines, and the risks of later-life chronic pathological conditions, can be traced to origins early in life. While other books in the field concentrate on the developmental origin of particular disorders, this volume offers a detailed guide to all important aspects of the role of early-life conditions in programming both chronic pathological conditions and the ageing process. Interest in the study of ageing and longevity had its beginnings in research on the fetal origins of adult disease. This has evolved into a hypothesis on the Developmental Origins of Adult Health and Disease (DOHaD), which postulates that adverse environmental exposures during critical in-utero and early postnatal stages of development may permanently change physiological responses and cause functional impairments and disorders in adult life. In this book, the contributing authors and leading experts from around the world, describe research on mechanisms underlying the developmental programming phenomenon, as well as interventional strategies aimed at restoring developmentally disrupted epigenetic patterns. Early Life Origins of Ageing and Longevity benefits a wide audience of working scientists, clinicians, and advanced students, and will also interest scientifically curious general readers who wish to know more about current research in this rapidly evolving field.

This text is a practical guide for primary-care doctors and health visitors involved in the detection of developmental problems in children whose parents are worried that their child is not developing like other children. It will be of assistance to paediatricians and paediatric neurologists in providing a developmental perspective in the diagnostic process in their work with children with chronic neurological disorders. The tests described have been standardized by the author and cover the essentials of developmental examination: history - including parents' views of their child's development; clinical tests of hearing; examination of visual behavior and visual acuity; observation of developing motor skills; language/performance profiles in which any substantial unevenness or an overall low score may reveal a developmental problem. In practice the range of average ability is wide, so a distinctive feature of this book is a standardized data base in graphical form that can be used to identify readily those children (lowest 20%) who warrant further specialist investigation or treatment.

Biocidal polymers are designed to inhibit or kill microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and protozoans. This book summarizes recent findings in the synthesis, modification and characterization of various antimicrobial polymers ranging from plastics and elastomers to biomimetic and biodegradable polymers. Modifications with different antimicrobial agents as well as antimicrobial testing methods are described in a comprehensive manner.

This invaluable resource discusses insights ranging from basic biological mechanisms of various types of stem cells through the potential applications in the treatment of human diseases, including cancer and genetic disorders. These discoveries are placed within the structural context of tissue and developmental biology in sections dealing with recent advances in understanding different types of stem cell biology and their potential applications in tissue repair and regeneration and in the treatment different types of human cancer and genetic diseases or disorders. Stem Cells for Cancer and Genetic Disease Treatment and the other books in the Stem Cells in Clinical Applicationsseries will be invaluable to scientists, researchers, advanced students and clinicians working in stem cells, regenerative medicine or tissue engineering as well as cancer or genetics research.