The queen honey bee is known to mate with multiple drones, and can produce over a million offspring in its lifetime. Its presence is vital to the growth and survival of a beehive. This reference book is a detailed guide to queen honey bees. The book starts by providing deep insights into the fascinating biology of the queen honey bees, their morphometric features, developmental synchronicity, genetics, hormones, pheromones, colonial organization and swarming. Further, the book describes artificial queen rearing techniques that facilitate healthy bee colony growth and increase apiculture productivity. The book equips readers with all the knowledge they need to know about queen bee development, their role in the colony and improving the health of their colony. Key Features - 14 reader-friendly chapters that comprehensively present information about queen honey bees - Comprehensive coverage about queen bee biology, including their physical morphology, genetics, proteomics, development and behavior (including worker and drone interactions) - Information about the role of queen bees in colonial organization and life-cycle events - Practical information that helps to improve bee colony health for research and apiculture (disease mechanisms and control, artificial breeding) The book is an essential primary reference on queen honey bees for biology and entomology students, academicians and researchers at all educational levels. Apiculturists, bee keeping enthusiasts, and general readers interested in honey bees can also benefit from the breadth of information presented.

This handbook aims at focusing on the husbandry of the common water buffalo, (Bubalis bubalis). The book covers a broad range of topics such as the buffalo’s genetic evolution, cytogenetics, subspecies, breed diversification, feeding and metabolic specificity, adaptable response to environmental stress factors, welfare, dairy requirements and production, reproduction and embryo technologies, cryopreservation, sperm cell sexing, somatic cell cloning and transgenesis. Chapters presented and reviewed in this book have been by contributed by renowned scientists that have devoted years of research to the understanding of this species, and highlight the most recent advances in basic and applied science to unveil the understanding of physiological facets intrinsic to this animal species. The depth of the selected topics makes this book especially suited for readers of all academic levels of study. Researchers, students and professionals will find this book a useful guide to breeding and farming the water buffalo.

Grapes (Vitis spp.) are economically significant fruit species. Many scientific advances have been achieved in understanding physiological, biochemical, and molecular aspects of grape berry maturation. Some of these advances have led to the improvement of wine quality through better grape growing practices; but this avenue of research is still wide open due to the complexity of the biochemical mechanisms involved in the development and ripening of grapes and their response to environment. The Biochemistry of the Grape Berry is a pioneer offering for readers - giving a focused and integrated coverage of the key biochemical and molecular aspects of grape berry development and ripening. Readers will benefit from a comprehensive and updated coverage on key steps, mechanisms and regulation in grapevine biochemistry and molecular biology, provided by an international team of leading scientists. It provides useful references on this research area and original data from laboratories worldwide. The comprehensive range of topics covered in this e-book is valuable to a multidisciplinary readership including plant physiologists, enologists, microbiologists, wine makers, biochemists and students. Thus The Biochemistry of the Grape Berry represents a step forward in the comprehension of grape berry biochemistry, wine quality and health benefits.

Poisons, due to their lethal nature, invoke a sense of fear in humans. Yet, they have also impacted other aspects of human life. Poisons have been used by nomadic hunters to kill their prey, by scientists to explore complex biochemical mechanisms of the body, by physicians to lower cholesterol and to kill cancer cells, by farmers and the general public to destroy pests, by the evil minded for homicide, and by tyrants as weapons of war. The Art and Science of Poisons presents two facets of poisons: the science behind them and their place in history and art. The science of poisons describes their biochemistry and how they kill. The science story voyages into the sub-microscopic world of atoms, molecules, and cells. Only there can we see the true miracles and mysteries of life and death. Chapters in the book explore poisons from snakes, spiders, scorpions, sea creatures, as well as poisons made by humans in the laboratory, and those which are derived from beautiful plants. The art of poisons, on the other hand, encompasses everything else about these agents that conjures up the image of the skull and crossbones. This side of the story explores the legends and tales of intrigue and surreptitious deaths of well-known personalities such as Socrates, Cleopatra, Hitler, and many more. General readers with a curiosity about science and an interest in history and human nature will enjoy both facets presented in this brief, yet varied exploration into the world of poisons.

A major goal of integrative research is understanding regulatory networks to such an extent as to allow researchers to model developmental and stress responses. Regulatory networks of living systems include complex and vast interactions between proteins, metabolites, RNA, various signaling molecules and DNA. One aspect of systems biology is understanding the dynamics of protein-DNA interactions affecting gene expression that are caused by transcription factors (TFs) and chromatin remodeling factors. This e-book provides a resource for summarizing current knowledge eukaryotic transcription and explores cis-elements and methods for their analysis, prediction and discovery. The book also presents an overview of exploring gene regulatory networks, chromatin, and miRNAs. Information about state-of-the-art techniques for the determination of TF - cis-element interactions in vivo and in silico give cutting edge insights on how genomic-scale research is being approached. The Analysis of Regulatory DNA provides readers with both the necessary background knowledge and provocative, up-to-date insights aimed at sparking new and vibrant experimental designs for understanding and predicting cis-elements in the eukaryotic genome.

Terpenoids are commercially important chemicals found in essential oils and other natural plant sources. They are used in solving issues that affect agricultural production, making them a key component of sustainable agronomy. Terpenoids: Recent Advances in Extraction, Biochemistry and Biotechnology provides information about the varied use of terpenoids in the control of pests, microbial diseases, ticks, and weeds. Chapters have prioritized terpenoids produced by plants, endophytic fungi, propolis, and geopropolis. The book also provides focused information about the functions of terpenoids in plants, as well as their biosynthetic pathways of production. The reference provides readers with a broad and diverse picture of the applications of terpenoids in plant safety, and creates an awareness of the possibilities for innovative biotechnological approaches for their extraction that make all the difference to agricultural production. Professionals and scholars involved in chemical technology, biotechnology and agriculture will benefit from the information provided in the book. It also serves as a comprehensive update for general readers interested in terpenoids and their current impact on the agricultural industry.

The interactions between carbohydrates and proteins have been extensively explored in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes over several decades. The recent emergence of glycomics has strengthened this interest and notably contributed to spectacular progress in understanding how carbohydrates mediate and regulate complex biological events. Synthesis and Biological Applications of Glycoconjugates gives a summary of contemporary findings in glycoconjugate research. Readers will be updated on major achievements in chemical methods and biological applications employed in modern glycomics. The Ebook should be of interest to a broad community of students and professional researchers in both academia and industry.

Sustainable Utilization of Fungi in Agriculture and Industry covers current knowledge about of different fungal microorganisms, including economically important filamentous fungi and yeasts. 22 chapters summarize recent information about scientific investigations and the application of fungi in the production of industrial enzymes, organic acids (citric acid, lactic acid, etc.), biofuel (ethanol, H2 gas) and bioactive compounds for sustainable processes in agriculture, bioremediation, industries and therapeutics. Each chapter gives an updated and detailed account of knowledge on fungal microbes and their sustainable utilization in agriculture, white biotechnology, and other valuable industrial applications. Contributions are made by academic and professional experts in mycology and industrial biotechnology, presenting a broad perspective of the field in a simple, yet engaging style. Sustainable Utilization of Fungi in Agriculture and Industry is an informative reference for general readers, trainees, interested in sustainability measures in agriculture and industry. It also serves as reading materials for scholars, students and teachers involved in botany, microbiology, biotechnology and life sciences courses.

When environmental conditions deviate from the optimal range, stress ensues. Stress response is a set of reactions that allow the organism to adjust and survive adverse conditions. Stress can be physical, such as extreme temperature, radiation, injury, or psychological, caused by perceived danger or deprivation. Every living cell has biochemical mechanisms to cope with physical stress. These mechanisms show a degree of similarity among several types of living organisms. <p></p> Stress Response and Immunity: Links and Trade Offs explores the functional and evolutionary connections between stress response and immunity. The book introduces the reader to the concept of stress and subsequently examines the connection between stress response and immunity at various evolutionary stages of living organisms - from bacteria to humans. The book also features chapters dedicated to the role of tumor suppressor genes and the immune system of the brain. <p></p> The information presented in this reference demonstrates the profound effects of physical and psychological stress on human health. Readers with basic knowledge of molecular biology will learn about the interesting facets of stress responses and the evolutionary trade offs observed in different life forms.

Sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) represents a novel set of technologies for animal (or in the future, human) genetic modification using the sperm as a vector, as opposed to more traditional established routes such as fertilized eggs or embryonic stem cells. Studies of sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) indicate that sperm cells possess the ability to be utilized as carriers of exogenous genetic sequences, offering the potential of a novel cost-effective route for germline genetic modification. The fate of transgenes borne by sperm cells has been inconsistent, and analysis of offspring from SMGT experiments has shown a mixed picture in terms of genomic integration of the transgene, suggesting an episomal mode of inheritance. Various distinct steps in transgene uptake by the sperm cell have been described or proposed, including a model based upon endogenous reverse transcriptase activity. Although mature sperm cells are naturally protected against uptake of foreign nucleic acid molecules, certain environmental conditions, for example at key times within the reproductive tract, may reduce this protection, suggesting that SMGT may occasionally take place in nature. If correct, this carries profound implications for evolution and human genetic health. This e-book brings together theoretical and empirical reviews from experts in SMGT, providing comprehensive coverage of the major trends, developments and controversies in this novel field. This e-book is intended as a reference for professional researchers in the field of animal genetic modification (transgenesis) as well as teachers, scientists and physicians interested in medical genetics in general and gene therapy in particular.