Diversity and Evolution of Animal Venoms: Neglected Targets, Ecological Interactions, Future Perspectives

Diversity and Evolution of Animal Venoms: Neglected Targets, Ecological Interactions, Future Perspectives PDF Author: Sebastien Dutertre
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2889637123
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 127

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Book Description

Diversity and Evolution of Animal Venoms: Neglected Targets, Ecological Interactions, Future Perspectives

Diversity and Evolution of Animal Venoms: Neglected Targets, Ecological Interactions, Future Perspectives PDF Author: Sebastien Dutertre
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2889637123
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 127

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Book Description


Spider Venoms

Spider Venoms PDF Author: P. Gopalakrishnakone
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9789400763883
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
In recent years, the field of Toxinology has expanded substantially. On the one hand it studies venomous animals, plants and micro organisms in detail to understand their mode of action on targets. While on the other, it explores the biochemical composition, genomics and proteomics of toxins and venoms to understand their three interaction with life forms (especially humans), development of antidotes and exploring their pharmacological potential. Therefore, Toxinology has deep linkages with biochemistry, molecular biology, anatomy and pharmacology. In addition, there is a fast developing applied subfield, clinical toxinology, which deals with understanding and managing medical effects of toxins on human body. Given the huge impact of toxin-based deaths globally, and the potential of venom in generation of drugs for so-far incurable diseases (for example, Diabetes, Chronic Pain), the continued research and growth of the field is imminent. This has led to the growth of research in the area and the consequent scholarly output by way of publications in journals and books. Despite this ever growing body of literature within biomedical sciences, there is still no all-inclusive reference work available that collects all of the important biochemical, biomedical and clinical insights relating to Toxinology. The Handbook of Toxinology aims to address this gap and cover the field of Toxinology comprehensively.

Biodiversity Conservation and Phylogenetic Systematics

Biodiversity Conservation and Phylogenetic Systematics PDF Author: Roseli Pellens
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319224611
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 390

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Book Description
This book is about phylogenetic diversity as an approach to reduce biodiversity losses in this period of mass extinction. Chapters in the first section deal with questions such as the way we value phylogenetic diversity among other criteria for biodiversity conservation; the choice of measures; the loss of phylogenetic diversity with extinction; the importance of organisms that are deeply branched in the tree of life, and the role of relict species. The second section is composed by contributions exploring methodological aspects, such as how to deal with abundance, sampling effort, or conflicting trees in analysis of phylogenetic diversity. The last section is devoted to applications, showing how phylogenetic diversity can be integrated in systematic conservation planning, in EDGE and HEDGE evaluations. This wide coverage makes the book a reference for academics, policy makers and stakeholders dealing with biodiversity conservation.

Evolution and Selection of Quantitative Traits

Evolution and Selection of Quantitative Traits PDF Author: Bruce Walsh
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192566644
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 1504

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Book Description
Quantitative traits-be they morphological or physiological characters, aspects of behavior, or genome-level features such as the amount of RNA or protein expression for a specific gene-usually show considerable variation within and among populations. Quantitative genetics, also referred to as the genetics of complex traits, is the study of such characters and is based on mathematical models of evolution in which many genes influence the trait and in which non-genetic factors may also be important. Evolution and Selection of Quantitative Traits presents a holistic treatment of the subject, showing the interplay between theory and data with extensive discussions on statistical issues relating to the estimation of the biologically relevant parameters for these models. Quantitative genetics is viewed as the bridge between complex mathematical models of trait evolution and real-world data, and the authors have clearly framed their treatment as such. This is the second volume in a planned trilogy that summarizes the modern field of quantitative genetics, informed by empirical observations from wide-ranging fields (agriculture, evolution, ecology, and human biology) as well as population genetics, statistical theory, mathematical modeling, genetics, and genomics. Whilst volume 1 (1998) dealt with the genetics of such traits, the main focus of volume 2 is on their evolution, with a special emphasis on detecting selection (ranging from the use of genomic and historical data through to ecological field data) and examining its consequences.

Venoms to Drugs

Venoms to Drugs PDF Author: Glenn King
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
ISBN: 1849736634
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 338

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Book Description
This unique book will provide an up to date and comprehensive account of the potential of peptides and proteins from animal venoms as possible therapeutics. The pharmaceutical industry has become increasingly interested in biologics from animal venoms as a potential source for therapeutic agents in recent years, with a particularly emphasis on peptides. To date six drugs derived from venom peptides or proteins have been approved by the FDA, with nine further agents currently being investigated in clinical trials. In addition to these drugs in approved or advanced stages of development, many more peptides and proteins are being studied in varying stages of preclinical development. Topics covered include chemistry and structural biology of animal venoms, proteomic and transcriptomic approaches to drug discovery, bioassays, high-throughput screens and target identification, and reptile, scorpion, spider and cone snail venoms as a platform for drug development. Case studies are used to illustrate methods and successes and highlight issues surrounding administration and other important lessons that have been learnt from the development of approved therapeutics based on venoms. The first text to focus on this fascinating area and bridging an important gap, this book will provide the reader with essential and current knowledge on this fast-developing area. Venoms to Drugs will find wide readership with researchers working in academia and industry working in all medicinal and pharmaceutical areas.

Everything Flows

Everything Flows PDF Author: Daniel J. Nicholson
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0198779631
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 403

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Book Description
"The majority of the papers herein originated at the workshop 'Process Philosophy of Biology' ... held in Exeter in November 2014."--Page vii.

Animal Weapons

Animal Weapons PDF Author: Douglas J. Emlen
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 0805094504
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
Emlen takes us outside the lab and deep into the forests and jungles where he's been studying animal weapons in nature for years, to explain the processes behind the most intriguing and curious examples of extreme animal weapons. As singular and strange as some of the weapons we encounter on these pages are, we learn that similar factors set their evolution in motion. Emlen uses these patterns to draw parallels to the way we humans develop and employ our own weapons, and have since battle began.

Evolution by Gene Duplication

Evolution by Gene Duplication PDF Author: Susumu Ohno
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 364286659X
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 171

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Book Description
It is said that "necessity is the mother of invention". To be sure, wheels and pulleys were invented out of necessity by the tenacious minds of upright citi zens. Looking at the history of mankind, however, one has to add that "Ieisure is the mother of cultural improvement". Man's creative genius flourished only when his mind, freed from the worry of daily toils, was permitted to entertain apparently useless thoughts. In the same manner, one might say with regard to evolution that "natural selection mere(y tnodifted, while redundanry created". Natural selection has been extremely effective in policing alleHe mutations which arise in already existing gene loci. Because of natural selection, organisms have been able to adapt to changing environments, and by adaptive radiation many new species were created from a common ancestral form. Y et, being an effective policeman, natural selection is extremely conservative by nature. Had evolution been entirely dependent upon natural selection, from a bacterium only numerous forms of bacteria would have emerged. The creation of metazoans, vertebrates and finally mammals from unicellular organisms would have been quite impos sible, for such big leaps in evolution required the creation of new gene loci with previously nonexistent functions. Only the cistron which became redun dant was able to escape from the relentless pressure of natural selection, and by escaping, it accumulated formerly forbidden mutations to emerge as a new gene locus.

Snakes

Snakes PDF Author: Stephen J. Mullin
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 0801457858
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 383

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Book Description
Destruction of habitat due to urban sprawl, pollution, and deforestation has caused population declines or even extinction of many of the world's approximately 2,600 snake species. Furthermore, misconceptions about snakes have made them among the most persecuted of all animals, despite the fact that less than a quarter of all species are venomous and most species are beneficial because they control rodent pests. It has become increasingly urgent, therefore, to develop viable conservation strategies for snakes and to investigate their importance as monitors of ecosystem health and indicators of habitat sustainability. In the first book on snakes written with a focus on conservation, editors Stephen J. Mullin and Richard A. Seigel bring together leading herpetologists to review and synthesize the ecology, conservation, and management of snakes worldwide. These experts report on advances in current research and summarize the primary literature, presenting the most important concepts and techniques in snake ecology and conservation. The common thread of conservation unites the twelve chapters, each of which addresses a major subdiscipline within snake ecology. Applied topics such as methods and modeling and strategies such as captive rearing and translocation are also covered. Each chapter provides an essential framework and indicates specific directions for future research, making this a critical reference for anyone interested in vertebrate conservation generally or for anyone implementing conservation and management policies concerning snake populations. Contributors: Omar Attum, Indiana University Southeast; Steven J. Beaupre, University of Arkansas; Xavier Bonnet, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Frank T. Burbrink, College of Staten Island-The City University of New York; Gordon M. Burghardt, University of Tennessee; Todd A. Castoe, University of Colorado; David Chiszar, University of Colorado; Michael E. Dorcas, Davidson College; Lara E. Douglas, University of Arkansas; Christopher L. Jenkins, Project Orianne, Ltd.; Glenn Johnson, State University of New York at Potsdam; Michael Hutchins, The Wildlife Society; Richard B. King, Northern Illinois University; Bruce A. Kingsbury, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne; Thomas Madsen, University of Wollongong; Stephen J. Mullin, Eastern Illinois University; James B. Murphy, National Zoological Park; Charles R. Peterson, Idaho State University; Kent A. Prior, Parks Canada; Richard A. Seigel, Towson University; Richard Shine, University of Sydney; Kevin T. Shoemaker, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York; Patrick J. Weatherhead, University of Illinois; John D. Willson, University of Georgia

ARF Family GTPases

ARF Family GTPases PDF Author: Richard A. Kahn
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402017197
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 368

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Book Description
For the first time experts in the area of signalling research with a focus on the ARF family have contributed to the production of a title devoted to ARF biology. A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the ARF family, tables of the ARF GEFs and ARF GAPs, and more than a dozen chapters describing them in detail are provided. The impact of the ARF proteins on widely diverse aspects of cell biology and cell signalling can be clearly seen from the activities described; including membrane traffic, lipid metabolism, receptor desensitization, mouse development, microtubule dynamics, and bacterial pathogenesis. Anyone interested in understanding the complexities of cell signalling and the integration of signalling networks will benefit from this volume.