Originating from a symposium sponsored by the USSR Academy of Sciences, the contents of this volume address the roles of signal molecules in animal behaviour. The work is divided into three sections covering cellular and invertebrate models, vertebrate models and methodology.

Impact of Addictive Substances and Behaviours on Individual and Societal Well-being outlines an innovative and fascinating new framework for understanding the harm that addictive substances and behaviours can cause. Taking a holistic approach and with well-being as a central tenet, it demonstrates how using different methods can lead to a more just and evidence-based approach to dealing with addictions. Presenting the latest and most comprehensive research, the expert team of authors examines the harm caused by addictive substances and behaviour, factors that contribute to addictions, and current European approaches to governing addictive substances and behaviours. It is both legal and illegal drugs, and behaviour that cause harm. For the world as a whole, cigarettes were the second largest cause of ill health and early death in 2010, alcohol the fifth, and illegal drugs the eighteenth. Regular and sustained heavy engagement in addictive substances and behaviour also impacts on quality of life and material living conditions. The well-being framework outlined here for understanding this impact places particular emphasis on the reciprocal relationship between well-being and drug use: well-being can be a driver of the heavy use of addictive substances and behaviours, and also compounds the harm done. Furthermore, the response of society can increase the harm caused by drug use, and stigma, social exclusion, and the actions of the criminal justice system can impair individual and societal well-being considerably. Impact of Addictive Substances and Behaviours on Individual and Societal Well-being is based on the research from ALICE RAP, a multidisciplinary European study of addictive substances and behaviours in contemporary society. A timely addition to the field, this book is essential reading for those wanting to make a real impact in the field of addiction prevention policy, including public managers, practitioners, public health professionals, and stakeholders influencing policy for addictive substances and behaviours, as well as academics.

Single molecule techniques, including single molecule fluorescence, optical tweezers, and scanning probe microscopy, allow for the manipulation and measurement of single biological molecules within a live cell or in culture. These approaches, amongst the most exciting tools available in biology today, offer powerful new ways to elucidate biological function, both in terms of revealing mechanisms of action on a molecular level as well as tracking the behaviour of molecules in living cells. This book provides the first complete and authoritative treatment of this rapidly emerging field, explicitly from a biological perspective.The contents are organized by biological system or molecule. Each chapter discusses insights that have been revealed about their mechanism, structure or function by single molecule techniques. Among the topics covered are enzymes, motor proteins, membrane channels, DNA, ribozymes, cytoskeletal proteins, and other key molecules of current interest. An introduction by the editor provides a concise review of key principles and an historical overview. The last section discusses applications in molecular diagnostics and drug discovery. - Organized by biological system or molecule - Each chapter discusses insights into mechanism of action, structure, and function - Covers enzymes, motor proteins, membrane channels, DNA, ribozymes, etc - Includes an introduction to key principles and an historical overview - Discusses applications in molecular diagnostics and drug discovery - Provides an expert's perspective on future development

Biomechanics in Animal Behaviour offers a unique approach by integrating fully the fields of animal behaviour and biomechanics. It demonstrates how an understanding of biomechanical issues is an important part of evaluating and predicting animal behaviour. The book examines how behaviour is determined and/or constrained by biomechanical variables such as hydrodynamics, aerodynamics, kinematics, and the mechanical properties of biomaterials.

with contributions by numerous experts

I wrote this book for biologists and those who are interested in both biological affairs in general and perspectives which integrate a large number of specialised biological disciplines. The theory of biocommunication presented herein investigates signal transd- tion processes among cells, tissues, organs and organisms in bacteria, animals (corals and bees), fungi and plants in the light of the current available empirical data. Because life is the central focus of the life sciences, this theory will also focus on typical features of life as opposed to inorganic matter. Because this eld of investigation is based on the methodological primacy of a pragmatic action theory, the book may also be of interest to researchers of lingu- tics, communication sciences and sociology (e.g. plant sociology, animal sociology) who would welcome an overview of these highly specialised biological disciplines. Current molecular biology as well as cell biology investigates its scienti c object by using key terms such as genetic code, code without commas, misre- ing of the genetic code, coding, open reading frame, genetic storage medium DNA, genetic information, genetic alphabet, genetic expression, messenger RNA, ce- to-cell communication, immune response, transcription, translation, nucleic acid language, amino acid language, recognition sequences, recognition sites, protein coding sequences, repeat sequences, signalling, signal transduction, signalling codes, signalling pathways, etc.

This text is designed to be an undergraduate reference textbook for students of chemistry who aim to select degree modules geared towards medicinal chemistry. The first two chapters offer an overview of basic organic chemistry, followed by organic synthesis in Chapter 3, with an emphasis on the importance of synthetic procedures in relation to the chemistry of drug design. In Chapter 4, the book covers foundational aspects of biochemistry and biomedical science to provide a basis for students understanding where and how drugs work on selected targets. Later, the book explains how medicines have been created for selected topics in medicinal chemistry – namely against pathogens, cancer and neurological targets. Features: User-friendly text that deals with key methods in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry An overture of drug design against disease targets An introduction to the molecular basis of disease and key topics in medicinal chemistry Geared toward chemistry undergraduates with an interest in pursuing medicinal chemistry further into their degree A complete set of tutorial questions and answers for each chapter

Focusing on the applied and basic aspects of confined liquid crystals, this book provides a current treatise of the subject matter and places it in the broader context of electrooptic applications.

Communication is essential for all forms of social interaction from parental care, to mate choice to cooperation. This book is a timely and novel synthesis. It bridges many of the gaps between proximate and ultimate levels of analysis, between empirical model systems, and between biology and the humanities. The book offers the complementary approaches of a distinguished group of authors spanning a large diversity of research programs, addressing, for example, thegenetic basis of bacterial communication, dishonest communication in insect societies, sexual selection and network communication among colonial vertebrates. Other chapters explore the role ofcommunication in genomic conflict and self-organisation, and how linguistics, psychology and philosophy may ultimately contribute to a biological understanding of human mate choice and the evolution of human societies.

This book focuses on the ecology of the microbiology of the surfaces of above-ground, aerial portion of vascular plants (including stem, leaves, fruits and flowers), collectively known as the phylloplane. It is divided into 6 sections, highlighting both the value of this highly diverse habitat to research in microbiology and the importance of this research to plant health and ecosystem functions. Section I concerns the biodiversity and population genetics of phyllosphere communities. Section II concerns the spatial distribution and biofilm structures of microbes on the phylloplane. Section III concerns biological control and pathogenicity. Section IV describes gene expression and phyllosphere genomics. Section V focuses on leaf colonization and dispersal. Section VI deals with aerobiology and plant surface microbiology.