WINNER OF THE JOHN AVERY AWARD AT THE ANDRE SIMON AWARDS If we can save the salmon, we can save the world Over the centuries, salmon have been a vital resource, a dietary staple and an irresistible catch. But there is so much more to this extraordinary fish. As international bestseller Mark Kurlansky reveals, salmon persist as a barometer for the health of our planet. Centuries of our greatest assaults on nature can be seen in their harrowing yet awe-inspiring life cycle. Full of all Kurlansky's characteristic curiosity and insight, Salmon is a magisterial history of a wondrous creature. 'An epic, environmental tragedy' Spectator 'These creatures have nurtured our imagination as surely as our bodies. This book does them justice!' Bill McKibben

This exciting volume offers an up-to-date tour of current trends in the neurobiology of memory while saluting Raymond Kesner's pioneering contributions to the field as a theorist and researcher, teacher and mentor. Starting with his signature chapter introducing the Attribute Model of Memory, the first half of the book focuses on the central role of the hippocampus in processing dimensions of space and time, and branches out to memory system interactions across brain structures. Later chapters apply the attribute model to multiple functions of memory in learning, and to specific neurological contexts, including Huntington's disease, traumatic brain injury, and Fragile X. As a bonus, the book concludes with an essay on Kesner's life and work, and reminiscences by colleagues. Among the topics covered: How the hippocampus supports the spatial and temporal attributes of memory. Self-regulation of memory processing centers of the brain. Multiple memory systems: the role of Kesner's Attribute Model in understanding the neurobiology of memory. Pattern separation: a key processing deficit associated with aging? * Prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia attributes underlying behavioral flexibility. Memory disruption following traumatic brain injury. Cognitive neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, gerontologists, psychiatrists, and neurobiologists will find The Neurobiological Basis of Memory both enlightening and inspiring--much like Kesner himself.

There are several books on properties of chitin and associated biomolecules and their biochemical significance. However, the present volume deals with a wide variety of biogeochemical and organic geochemical aspects of this vital macromolecule written by leading authors and experts in the field. Each chapter is carefully peer reviewed and is an updated account of recent research in isotopic, nanostructural, biochemical, microstructural, geochemical, paleontological and experimental aspects of chitin formation, distribution and preservation in the environment and earth history.

This survey of one the longest insect conservation campaigns in Australia deals with recovery of one of the most iconic endemic butterflies, the Richmond birdwing, threatened by clearance and fragmentation of subtropical rainforest in eastern Australia and the spread of an alien larval food-plant. Its conservation has involved many aspects of community involvement, developed over more than 20 years, and focused on habitat restoration and weed eradication, in conjunction with conservation of remaining forest fragments. The work has involved the entire historical range of the butterfly, addressed threats and emphasised landscape connectivity, and has enhanced recovery through extensive plantings of native food plants. Interest has been maintained through extensive publicity, community education and media activity, and the programme has provided many lessons for advancing insect conservation practice in the region. "

This book summarizes the key adaptations enabling extremophile fishes to survive under harsh environmental conditions. It reviews the most recent research on acidic, Antarctic, cave, desert, hypersaline, hypoxic, temporary, and fast-flowing habitats, as well as naturally and anthropogenically toxic waters, while pointing out generalities that are evident across different study systems. Knowledge of the different adaptations that allow fish to cope with stressful environmental conditions furthers our understanding of basic physiological, ecological, and evolutionary principles. In several cases, evidence is provided for how the adaptation to extreme environments promotes the emergence of new species. Furthermore, a link is made to conservation biology, and how human activities have exacerbated existing extreme environments and created new ones. The book concludes with a discussion of major open questions in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of life in extreme environments.

To escape the constraints of water-bound reproduction, the first terrestrial vertebrates evolved a group of membranes that surround and protect developing embryos. The "amnion" is one of these membranes. It surrounds and protects in amniotic fluid, the developing embryos of birds, reptiles and mammals. Terrestrial vertebrates began to diversify and exploit their new habitats when the need to reproduce in water no longer dictated the course of their lives. Occurring in conjunction with this reproductive freedom was the evolution of non-permeable skin (to avoid cutaneous water loss), different less toxic forms of nitrogen waste and more efficient forms of locomotion and feeding. This text gives a detailed treatment of these and other changes that occurred as vertebrates completed the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life. It integrates modern systematic methods with studies of functional and physiological processes, and illustrates how studies of paleobiology can be illuminated by studies of neontology.

The successful previous volume on this topic provided a detailed benchwork manual for the most commonly used animal models of acute neurological injuries including cerebral ischemia, hemorrhage, vasospasm, and traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. Animal Models of Acute Neurological Injuries II: Injury and Mechanistic Assessments aims to collect chapters on assessing these disorders from cells and molecules to behavior and imaging. These comprehensive assessments are the key for understanding disease mechanisms as well as developing novel therapeutic strategies to ameliorate or even prevent damages to the nervous system. Volume 1 examines general assessments in morphology, physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology, neurobehavior, and neuroimaging, as well as extensive sections on subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral vasospasm, and intracerebral hemorrhage. Designed to provide both expert guidance and step-by-step procedures, chapters serve to increase understanding in what, why, when, where, and how a particular assessment is used. Accessible and essential, Animal Models of Acute Neurological Injuries II: Injury and Mechanistic Assessments will be useful for trainees or beginners in their assessments of acute neurological injuries, for experienced scientists from other research fields who are interested in either switching fields or exploring new opportunities, and for established scientists within the field who wish to employ new assessments.

Inchworms, tiger moths, underwings, owlet moths, silkworms,sphinx moths, grass moths, and butterflies. Collectively, these and many others are the Lepidoptera, one of the most diverse groups of animals on the planet. Lepidoptera can be found in the highest tropical canopies,the driest deserts, and at the leading edge of science. The adults include some of the most beautiful insects that have inspired artists and have sailed through the dreams of human cultures for millennia. The immature stages ("caterpillars"), like the underwing depicted on the cover, link together vital processes in diverse terrestrial ecosystems that are only barely documented let alone understood. The people that study these animals are lepidopterists, and the goal of this book is to introduce them with their own words. In twenty chapters, lepidopterists tell their stories, and these tales mirror the diversity of nature in their range and depth. You will find individuals that wrestle with the challenges of scientific careers, stories of far flung travel sand close calls, and historical perspectives on recent decades of scientific break throughs.

"Vascular Morphogenesis: Methods and Protocols" provides a range of techniques for studying vascular morphogenesis in vivo and in vitro, reflecting advances in the field. Endothelial cell signaling is currently believed to promote fundamental cues for cell fate specification, embryo patterning, organ differentiation and postnatal tissue remodeling. Understanding the concept of vascular bed specificity represents a major challenge for future investigations. Indeed, one of the most interesting theoretical perspectives and practical applications of endothelial cell signaling is the possibility for these cells to maintain their inductive potential during adult life. Written in the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology" series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Practical and authoritative, "Vascular Morphogenesis: Methods and Protocols" will serve as a instructive and useful reference for cell biologists, anatomists, pathologists and physiologists, as well as all those interested in this area of biological study.

Elwyn Simons has held professional appointments at Yale University (1960-1977), Duke University (1977-present), and was the Director of the Duke Primate Center (1977-1991) and Scientific Director (1991-2001). He has authored nearly 300 scientific publications and is the holder of many high honors. He is a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, as well as many other professional associations. He was elected a Knight of the National Order by the government of Madagascar and has been the recipient of many awards including the prestigious Charles R. Darwin Award for Lifetime Achievement from the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. For nearly a half century, Dr. Simons has dominated the study of primate evolution. The volume summarizes the current state of knowledge in many aspects of primate and human evolution that have been studied by Simons and his colleagues and place it in a broader paleontological and historical perspective. Elwyn Simons: A Search for Origins contains the results of new research and reviews of many of the critical issues in primate and human evolution during the last half of the twentieth century as well as aspects of African paleontology and primate conservation in Madagascar. The authors are an extremely distinguished group of international authorities on all aspects of primate and human evolution and primate behavior. Although linked primarily by their connection to Simons? own career, the chapters include a wide range of important new works that are valuable contributions to the field of physical anthropology and paleontology and are certain to be widely cited and used in teaching.Several of the papers (Simons et al., Wing et al., Seiffert et al., Gingerich, O?Conner) are broad reviews of the history of research and discoveries in the fossil deposits of the Fayum, Egypt that have formed the background of our understanding of anthropoid evolution for over a century and will be important researchers for students and researchers in primate evolution and African paleontology. Similarly, broad reviews of the history of primate paleontology and human evolution (Rasmussen, Pilbeam, Wood; Sussman and Hart) will be essential reading in courses in primate and human evolution as well as the history of physical anthropology. Other authors describe new research results on early anthropoid fossils from Egypt (Kay and Simons) Tanzania (Stevens) and Myanmar (Gunnell and Ciochon). The chapter by John Oakley, Professor of Law at the University of California addresses the challenges to the teaching of evolution in schools- both public and universities world wide. Another major focus of several chapters are the primates of Madagascar. Two chapters are reviews of the extraordinary radiation of fossil lemurs (Godfrey et al, Jungers et al.). Two review the behavior and conservation of living lemurs (Taylor and Wright) and the chapter by Tattersall bridges the two major sections of the book by discussing about the biogeographic history of Malagasy mammals.

Covering an area of over 130 million km2 spanning the Mediterranean, equator and tropics, the African continent features a spectacular geographic diversity. Consequently, it is characterised by extremely variable climatic, edaphic and ecological conditions, associated with a wide range of natural vegetation and wildlife, as well as human population density, crops and livestock.

In this book, Henry Le Houerou presents his bioclimatic and biogeographic classification of Africa. The extensive data provide the basis for comparisons between various African regions, and with regions on other continents such as Latin America or the Indian subcontinent. The results constitute a rational basis for national, regional and sub-regional rural development planning, and for agricultural research dealing with aspects such as plant and animal introductions, the extrapolation or interpolation of experimental or developmental findings, and ecosystems dynamics. Possible problems of applications are also examined."

This second volume in the series covers such topics as DNA fingerprinting of fishes, the cytochromes P450 in fish, the molecular biology of bacterial fish diseases, and new insights into the origins of the diversity and distribution of fish antifreeze proteins. The book will be of great value to fisheries scientists, animal biochemists, physiologists and endocrinologists, and aquaculturists. It will provide researchers and students alike with a pertinent information source from theoretical and experimental angles.

Nonhuman primates have played critical roles in biomedical research, and they are among the few animals whose use in research continues to increase. The scienti?c value of nonhuman primates derives from their close phylogenetic proximity to man and their consequent anatomic, physiologic, and genetic similarities to man. Only nonhuman primates can provide adequate models for many complex physiological and disease processes of humans. The baboon is a relative newcomer to the repertoire of nonhuman primates used in biomedical research. However, in less than 50 years since its ?rst use in the U. S. , it has become one of the most popular laboratory primate species. It is larger than the other widely used monkey species, making it advantageous for many types of experiments and technological developments. It is extraordinarily hardy and highly fecund in captivity. It closely resembles humans in a variety of physiological and disease processes, such as cholesterol metabolism, early stages of atherosclerosis, and alcoholic liver disease. Its chromosomes closely resemble those of humans, and many genes of the two species lie in the same chromosomal order. Among all primates, baboons are the most widely used models for the genetics of susceptibility to complex diseases and they are the ?rst nonhuman primate for which a framework genetic linkage map was established. In addition, the baboon genome is currently being sequenced, and as a result the utility of this species for biomedical research will be dramatically increased.

Progestins play a key role in reproductive endocrinology and as pharmaceutical drugs for contraception and in combined hormone therapy. To further our understanding of progestin action in the mammary gland, an international symposium, attended by leading researchers from academia and industry, was held in Berlin, 21 23 March 2007. Genetic mouse models helped to elucidate the role of progestins, both in normal breast development and in disease. Mechanistic molecular studies inspired the design of new progestins with improved tissue selectivity. In addition, the clinical impact of progesterone receptor agonists and antagonists for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer was discussed.

Historically the field of endocrine research has always been at the forefront of scientific endeavors. The investigators of these important breakthroughs in research have been rewarded by numerous Nobel awards. In the field of diabetes alone, Nobel prizes have been awarded to researchers who discovered insulin, characterized the protein and invented radioimmunoassays using insulin as a paradigm. Not surprisingly, biomedical researchers have always been attracted by the endocrine system and other similar systems of intercellular communication.
Over the past two decades, endocrine research has developed rapidly and adapted modern molecular and cellular biology techniques for its specific use. These changes have allowed researchers in the field to maintain their edge. Thus, endocrine disease-related genes have been characterized and mutations in these genes have helped explain common and
less common endocrine disorders. Our understanding of the regulation of gene expression has been greatly enhanced by molecular techniques.
In an attempt to bring investigators up to date with the recent advances in this exploding field we have decided to publish a series entitled Advances in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. Internationally famous investigators have agreed to participate and their contributions are appreciated.
Volume 1 has focused on aspects of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis including GnRH and GH gene regulation, molecular aspects of insulin, insulin-like growth factors and glucagon. In addition, reviews on the recently cloned calcium receptor and steroid receptor interactions with DNA are presented.

This volume focuses on defining the unique attributes of using the zebrafish cancer model for discovering important pathways and potential drug targets for the treatment of human cancers. Using the zebrafish model, the volume explores oncogene and tumor suppressor discovery, chemical genetic approaches, genomics, epigenetics, cancer imaging, and cell transplantation. Contributed chapters come from the most prominent laboratories working in this field, which provides a unique perspective on zebrafish models from a wide spectrum of the research community. In addition, the book offers a detailed analysis of the most current research in the area for specific zebrafish cancer models, including T cell leukemia, rhabdomyosarcoma, liver and pancreatic cancer, melanoma, neuroblastoma, germ cell tumors, and malignant peripheral sheath tumors. A chapter is also dedicated to the development and utilization of other piscine models of cancer. The compilation of chapters in the volume culminates into a comprehensive and definitive text on zebrafish and cancer, providing a much needed resource on the powerful attributes of the zebrafish model system.

Denis Noble Nearly a decade after completion of the first draft of the entire Human Genome sequence we are in a better position to assess the nature and the consequences of that heroic achievement, which can be seen as the culmination of the molecular biological revolution of the second half of the twentieth century. The achievement itself was celebrated at the highest levels (President and Prime Minister) on both sides of the Atlantic, and rightly so. DNA sequencing has become sufficiently c- mon now, even to the extent of being used in law courts, that it is easy to forget how technically difficult it was and how cleverly the sequencing teams solved those problems in the exciting race to finish by the turn of the century [1, 2]. The fanfares were misplaced, however, in an important respect. The metaphors used to describe the project and its biological significance gave the impression to the public at large, and to many scientists themselves, that this sequence would reveal the secrets of life. DNA had already been likened to a computer program [3]. The "genetic program" for life was therefore to be found in those sequences: A kind of map that had simply to be unfolded during development. The even more colo- ful "book of life" metaphor gave the promise that reading that book would lead to a veritable outpouring of new cures for diseases, hundreds of new drug targets, and a brave new world of medicine.

Water - and its governance - is becoming a global concern partly because it is turning into a goods in short supply, with devastating effects on literally billions of people, but also because it is the "carrier" ofglobal warming; whether through irregular weather patterns or through flooding, water is how global warming will be 'felt'. The lion's share of the globally available fresh water resources is to be found in transboundary systems. In spite of its significance, the generated knowledge on how to deal with transboundary waters is weak and leaves policy makers with seemingly unavoidable, trade-off dilemmas and prioritizations, often with detrimental effects. In order to disentangle this predicament this volume works with one case: the Lower Mekong Basin and covers state-of-the-art academic and practitioners' knowledge and hence appeals to a wide audience. The topic this volume addresses is situated in the nexus ofan IR- (International Relations) approach focussing on transboundary politics and its inclination to remain within the sphere of state sovereignty and national interest on the one hand, and Development studies, with its imperatives on participation, planning, and intervention, on the other.The dilemma, we argue, of better understanding transboundary water management lies in how to understand how these two rationalities can be simultaneously nurtured.
"Audience: "This book will be relevant to scholars, as it provides cutting-edge research, and students, since it covers the primary debates in the field, interested in resource management, regional politics, and development issues in the area. It also addresses the global debate on transboundary water management and presents an in-depth case of one of the globally most sophisticated attempts at pursuing sustainable river basin management. Finally, practitioners and policymakers would benefit greatly because all contributions have explicit policy relevance, launching suggestion on improvements in water management.

This is the first book entirely dedicated to Intravital Microscopy. It provides the reader with a broad overview of the main applications of Intravital Microscopy in various areas of the biomedical field. The book contains accurate descriptions of the state of the art methodologies used to image various organs at different level of resolution, ranging from whole tissue down to sub-cellular structures. Moreover, it is an extremely valuable guide to scientists that want to adopt this powerful technique and do not have experience with animal models and microscopy.