Bioethics by
Summary: "This book is a philosophically-oriented introduction to bioethics. It offers the reader an overview of key debates in bioethics relevant to various areas including; organ retrieval, stem cell research, justice in healthcare and issues in environmental ethics, including issues surrounding food and agriculture. The book also seeks to go beyond simply describing the issues in order to provide the reader with the methodological and theoretical tools for a more comprehensive understanding of current bioethical debates. The aim of the book is to present bioethics as an interdisciplinary field, to explore its close relation to other disciplines (such as law, life sciences, theology and philosophy), and to discuss the conditions under which bioethics can serve as an academically legitimate discipline that is at the same time relevant to society. As a systematic and methodologically rigorous overview, Bioethics: Methods, Theories, Domains will be of particular interest to academics and students in the disciplines of Law, Medicine, Ethics and Philosophy"-- Provided by publisher.
Bioethics by
With its initial publication in 1978, Bioethics became the first reference to focus solely on a then burgeoning field, in effect helping to define the discipline. Both the first and second (1995) editions won the Dartmouth Medal, and the set remains the standard reference on bioethics for teachers, students, and those in related fields of health care, philosophy, environmentalism, law, and religious studies. The fourth edition offers hundreds of revisions or addenda to entries from previous editions as well as over 100 new or rewritten entries on topics such as key cases in bioethics, the human biome, genetically modified foods, emergency preparedness and response, social justice, sustainability, chemical warfare and torture, among many others. Revised articles will explain the events as well as legislation changes of the past decade. The work is also being expanded to include views of nations and cultures other than the United States on such issues as abortion, medical triage, social responsibility, access to health care, stem cell research, etc.
Christian Bioethics by
Using a dialogue format, an ethicist and physician talk about how to think about thorny ethical issues. Combining their backgrounds in medicine and theology, they deal with real-life moral questions in an accessible way. C. Ben Mitchell and D. Joy Riley let readers eavesdrop on their conversation about the training of doctors, the interpretation of the Bible, and controversial issues like abortion, assisted-suicide, genetic engineering, and in vitro fertilization.
Designer Biology: The Ethics of Intensively Engineering Biological and Ecological Systems by
Advances in our scientific understanding and technological power in recent decades have dramatically amplified our capacity to intentionally manipulate complex ecological and biological systems. An implication of this is that biological and ecological problems are increasingly understood and approached from an engineering perspective. In environmental contexts, this is exemplified in the pursuits of geoengineering, designer ecosystems, and conservation cloning. In human health contexts, it is exemplified in the development of synthetic biology, bionanotechnology, and human enhancement technologies. Designer Biology: The Ethics of Intensively Engineering Biological and Ecological Systems consists of thirteen chapters (twelve of them original to the collection) that address the ethical issues raised by technological intervention and design across a broad range of biological and ecological systems. Among the technologies addressed are geoengineering, human enhancement, sex selection, genetic modification, and synthetic biology. This collection advances and enriches our understanding of the ethical issues raised by these technologies and identifies general lessons about the ethics of engineering complex biological and ecological systems that can be applied as new technologies and practices emerge. The insights that emerge will be especially valuable to students and scholars of environmental ethics, bioethics, or technology ethics.
Disaster Bioethics by
This book explores a range of ethical questions in disaster response, including, among others: How do medical responders decide whom to care for? How do international agencies decide what to send? What are the ethical responsibilities of the media?
Methods in Bioethics by
This volume collects essays by the late bioethicist John D. Arras, best known for his many contributions to the methodology of bioethics. Always open-minded, Arras did not favor a single theory or view of method in bioethics, eschewing labels such as "casuist" or "pragmatist." He was conversant with the main philosophical methods that have dominated bioethics since the field's origin, including principlism, Gert's common morality, the "new casuistry", pragmatism, and others. Rather than defending any particular theory or method, though, Arras rigorously investigated those methods - and how they both expand and limit our field of vision. He sought, in the tradition of Kierkegaard, to make life "harder" for bioethics, by uncovering challenges to the field's analytical methods. His favorite mode of exploration and expression was the thoughtful essay. The essays collected here reveal him thinking through new problems and new possibilities, and they invariably yield fresh and valuable insights.
Synthetic Biology and Morality by
Synthetic biology, which aims to design and build organisms that serve human needs, has potential applications that range from producing biofuels to programming human behavior. The emergence of this new form of biotechnology, however, raises a variety of ethical questions -- first and foremost, whether synthetic biology is intrinsically troubling in moral terms. Is it an egregious example of scientists "playing God"? Synthetic Biology and Morality takes on this threshold ethical question, as well as others that follow, offering a range of philosophical and political perspectives on the power of synthetic biology.
Where Science and Ethics Meet by
Recent biomedical discoveries promise considerable improvement in the quality of human life, but they also hold the potential to permanently alter society. Are the anticipated benefits worth the price we would have to pay for them? In Where Science and Ethics Meet: Dilemmas at the Frontiers of Medicine and Biology, a biochemist and a biomedical researcher who are highly experienced in explaining ethics for lay audiences present the most innovative advances in biomedicine and enable readers to develop their own opinions about the ethical and social consequences these technologies will bring.
Gene Biotechnology by
Summary: "The third edition of this popular reference covers a variety of techniques related to gene manipulation, including DNA isolation, preparation, screening, and analysis. Topics range from very basic methods to current and sophisticated technologies, including methodologies created and tested by the authors. Other topics include approaches to grant funding and SiRNA technology. The authors offer detailed, step-by-step explanations of protocols and helpful troubleshooting guides. This edition features new techniques for every chapter, as well as several new chapters"--Provided by publisher.
Genetics and Developmental Biology: The Thomas Hunt Morgan Centennial Symposium by
Annotation These essays -- the outgrowth of a symposium sponsored by the University of Kentucky to honor one of its most distinguished graduates, Nobel Prize laureate Thomas Hunt Morgan -- provide a representative view of research interests in specific areas of molecular biology. The fifteen contributors to this volume are among the most distinguished scientists in America.
DNA Is Not Destiny: The Remarkable, Completely Misunderstood Relationship Between You and Your Genes by
Summary: "Do you fear what might be lurking in your DNA? Well, now you can find out, and you most likely will. Scientists expect one billion people to have their genomes sequenced by 2025, and as the price drops it may even become a standard medical procedure. Yet cultural psychologist Steven J. Heine argues that the first thing we'll do upon receiving our DNA test results is to misinterpret them completely. We've become accustomed to breathless media coverage about newly discovered "cancer" or "IQ" or "infidelity" genes, each one promising a deeper understanding of what makes us tick. But as Heine shows, most of these claims are oversimplified and overhyped misinterpretations of how our DNA really works. With few exceptions, it is a complex combination of experience, environment, and genetics that determines who we are, how we behave, and what diseases will afflict us in the future. So why do we continue to buy into the belief that our genes control our destiny? Heine argues that we are psychologically ill equipped to deal with DNA results, repeatedly falling into predictable biases--switch-thinking, essentialism, fatalism, negativity dominance, and more--that mold our thinking about the information we receive. Heine shares his research--and his own genome-sequencing results--not only to set the record straight regarding what your genes actually reveal about your health, intelligence, ethnic identity, and family, but also to help you counteract these insidious cognitive traps. His fresh, surprising conclusions about the promise, and limits, of genetic engineering and DNA testing upend conventional thinking and reveal a simple, profound truth: your genes create life--but they do not control it."--Dust jacket.
The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology is Rewriting our Understanding of Genetics, Disease, and Inheritance by
Summary: "Epigenetics can potentially revolutionize our understanding of the structure and behavior of biological life on Earth. It explains why mapping an organism's genetic code is not enough to determine how it develops or acts and shows how nurture combines with nature to engineer biological diversity. Surveying the twenty-year history of the field while also highlighting its latest findings and innovations, this volume provides a readily understandable introduction to the foundations of epigenetics. Nessa Carey, a leading epigenetics researcher, connects the field's arguments to such diverse phenomena as how ants and queen bees control their colonies; why tortoiseshell cats are always female; why some plants need cold weather before they can flower; and how our bodies age and develop disease. Reaching beyond biology, epigenetics now informs work on drug addiction, the long-term effects of famine, and the physical and psychological consequences of childhood trauma. Carey concludes with a discussion of the future directions for this research and its ability to improve human health and well-being."--Jacket.
The Gene: An Intimate History by
Summary: The story of the gene begins in earnest in an obscure Augustinian abbey in Moravia in 1856 where Gregor Mendel, a monk working with pea plants, stumbles on the idea of a "unit of heredity." It intersects with Darwin's theory of evolution, and collides with the horrors of Nazi eugenics in the 1940s. The gene transforms postwar biology. It invades discourses concerning race and identity and provides startling answers to some of the most potent questions coursing through our political and cultural realms. It reorganizes our understanding of sexuality, gender identity, sexual orientation, temperament, choice, and free will, thus raising the most urgent questions affecting our personal realms. Above all, the story of the gene is driven by human ingenuity and obsessive minds -- from Mendel and Darwin to Francis Crick, James Watson, and Rosalind Franklin to the thousands of scientists working today to understand the code of codes. Woven through the book is the story of author Mukherjee's own family and its recurring pattern of schizophrenia, a haunting reminder that the science of genetics is not confined to the laboratory but is vitally relevant to everyday lives. The moral complexity of genetics reverberates even more urgently today as we learn to "read" and "write" the human genome -- unleashing the potential to change the fates and identities of our children and our children's children.
Genetic Explanations: Sense and Nonsense by
Can genes determine which fifty-year-old will succumb to Alzheimer’s, which citizen will turn out on voting day, and which child will be marked for a life of crime? Yes, according to the Internet, a few scientific studies, and some in the biotechnology industry who should know better. Sheldon Krimsky and Jeremy Gruber gather a team of genetic experts to argue that treating genes as the holy grail of our physical being is a patently unscientific endeavor. Genetic Explanations urges us to replace our faith in genetic determinism with scientific knowledge about how DNA actually contributes to human development.
The Language of Genetics: An Introduction by
The Language of Genetics: An Introduction is the seventh title published in the Templeton Science and Religion Series, in which scientists from a wide range of fields distill their experience and knowledge into brief tours of their respective specialties. In this volume, Dr. Denis R. Alexander offers readers a basic toolkit of information, explanations, and ideas that can help us grasp something of the fascination and the challenge of the language of genetics.
Life's Greatest Secret: The Race to Crack the Genetic Code by
Summary: The story of the discovery and cracking of the genetic code, the thing that ultimately enables a spiraling molecule to give rise to the life that exists all around us.
Misbehaving Science: Controversy and the Development of Behavior Genetics by
In Misbehaving Science, Aaron Panofsky traces the field of behavior genetics back to its origins in the 1950s, telling the story through close looks at five major controversies. In the process, Panofsky argues that persistent, ungovernable controversy in behavior genetics is due to the broken hierarchies within the field. All authority and scientific norms are questioned, while the absence of unanimously accepted methods and theories leaves a foundationless field, where disorder is ongoing. Critics charge behavior geneticists with political motivations; champions say they merely follow the data where they lead. But Panofsky shows how pragmatic coping with repeated controversies drives their scientific actions. Ironically, behavior geneticists’ struggles for scientific authority and efforts to deal with the threats to their legitimacy and autonomy have made controversy inevitable—and in some ways essential—to the study of behavior genetics.
Nature's End: The Theological Meaning of the New Genetics by
In an age of rapid biological changes brought on by biotechnologies such as stem-cell research, gene therapy, and mood-altering drugs, can human nature still serve as a basis for our moral thinking? This is the question explored by Richard Sherlock in Nature’s End: The Theological Meaning of the New Genetics. Sherlock contends that in light of the fact that we can now alter human nature we must find a transnatural standpoint from which to make moral judgments—that is, a theological standpoint. Current and future advances in genetic and biological science require a bold theological response, argues Sherlock, not a response based on pragmatism or arguments from nature, including natural-law arguments.
The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by our Genetic Code by
Summary: "In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In THE VIOLINIST'S THUMB, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA. There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, why other people have no fingerprints, and why some people survive nuclear bombs. Genes illuminate everything from JFK's bronze skin (it wasn't a tan) to Einstein's genius. They prove that Neanderthals and humans bred thousands of years more recently than any of us would feel comfortable thinking. They can even allow some people, because of the exceptional flexibility of their thumbs and fingers, to become truly singular violinists. Kean's vibrant storytelling once again makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species' future"-- Provided by publisher.
Gene Biotechnology by
Summary: "The third edition of this popular reference covers a variety of techniques related to gene manipulation, including DNA isolation, preparation, screening, and analysis. Topics range from very basic methods to current and sophisticated technologies, including methodologies created and tested by the authors. Other topics include approaches to grant funding and SiRNA technology. The authors offer detailed, step-by-step explanations of protocols and helpful troubleshooting guides. This edition features new techniques for every chapter, as well as several new chapters"--Provided by publisher.
Handbook of Molecular and Cellular Methods in Biology and Medicine by
Summary: "Reflecting the milestones in the field that have occurred since the publication of the first edition, this book provides an updated tool kit that incorporates conventional as well as modern approaches to tackling biological and medicinal research in the post genomic era. The authors have evaluated, revised, and sometimes replaced all protocols with more efficient, reliable, or simpler ones. The book is also completely reorganized and covers topics of modern "omics" approaches, including genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. This is followed coverage of the Manipulation of Biological Systems, including RNAi, and the use of microscopy"-- Provided by publisher.
Molecular Biology by
Now available with the most current and relevant research from Cell Press, Clark's Molecular Biology, Academic Cell Update Edition, gives readers both the concepts and the applications students need to know to fully grasp Molecular Biology. Clark introduces basic concepts and then follows with specific applications in research today. This book is further enhanced by its inclusion in the Academic Cell collaboration, providing it with links to current and recently published research. Molecular Biology draws in the applications from a number of fields including human cellular research, human medicine, agriculture research and veterinary medicine.*Now with an online study guide with the most current, relevant research from Cell Press *Full supplements including test bank, powerpoint and online self quizzing *Up to date description of genetic engineering, genomics, and related areas * Basic concepts followed by more detailed, specific applications * Hundreds of color illus
Molecular Biology by
Annotation BarCharts' three-panel Molecular Biology QuickStudy(R) guide provides a detailed review of the principal areas of biology at the molecular level. A perfect resource for students in an introductory molecular biology course or those in higher-level courses who are in need of a refresher, this guide includes up-to-date information on biomolecules, DNA replication, transcription, and more--all essential knowledge for the successful biology student. Color-coded sections are enhanced by diagrams and illustrations highlighting major processes and structures.
Molecular Biology Techniques by
This manual is an indispensable tool for introducing advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students to the techniques of recombinant DNA technology, or gene cloning and expression. The techniques used in basic research and biotechnology laboratories are covered in detail. Students gain hands-on experience from start to finish in subcloning a gene into an expression vector, through purification of the recombinant protein.
Intelligently Designed: How Creationists Built the Campaign Against Evolution by
Summary: "Tracing the growth of creationism in America as a political movement as opposed to a science-religion issue, this book explains why anti-evolution, this peculiarly American phenomenon, has succeeded, as measured in terms of popular appeal. Conceiving the history of creationism as a strategic public relations campaign, it emphasizes ways that media have been used to spin creationism as a viable, even preferable, alternative to evolution. Understanding creationists' campaigns means understanding their popularity and appeal in American culture. Beginning with the rise of fundamentalism in the early 20th century, Edward Caudill traces the movement through the rest of the 20th and into the 21st century. He illustrates how the 1925 Scopes trial created the contours of the modern debate over evolution. Its primary combatants--Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan--became the celebrity representatives of opposing sides in the battle over teaching evolution in public schools. He then draws parallels between the media's role in the Scopes trial and subsequent political campaigns against evolution represented by Moral Majority of the 1980s, the 2005 cases in Kansas and Dover, PA, current anti-evolution politicians, such as Sara Palin and Mike Huckabee, and highlight creationism's recent gravitation toward museums and websites as a medium of communication. Caudill draws from media sources, trial transcripts, films, as well as the archives to highlight the importance of historical myth in popular culture, religion, and politics and situate this nearly century-old debate in American cultural history"-- Provided by publisher.
Evolution, the Logic of Biology by
By focusing on the cellular mechanisms that underlie ontogeny, phylogeny and regeneration of complex physiologic traits, Evolution, the Logic of Biology demonstrates the use of homeostasis, the fundamental principle of physiology and medicine, as the unifying mechanism for evolution as all of biology. The homeostasis principle can be used to understand how environmental stressors have affected physiologic mechanisms to generate condition-specific novelty through cellular mechanisms.
American Genesis: The Antievolution Conteroversies from Scopes to Creation Science by
Summary: "In American Genesis, Jeffrey P. Moran explores the ways in which the evolution debate has reverberated beyond the confines of state legislatures and courthouses. Using extensive research in newspapers, periodicals, and archives, Moran shows that social forces such as gender, regionalism, and race have intersected with the debate over evolution in ways that shed light on modern American culture."--Jacket.
Trying Biology: The Scopes Trial, Textbooks, and the Antievolution Movement in American Schools by
Summary: In Trying Biology, Adam R. Shapiro convincingly dispels many conventional assumptions about the 1925 Scopes "monkey" trial. Most view it as an event driven primarily by a conflict between science and religion. Countering this, Shapiro shows the importance of timing: the Scopes trial occurred at a crucial moment in the history of biology textbook publishing, education reform in Tennessee, and progressive school reform across the country. He places the trial in this broad context -- alongside American Protestant antievolution sentiment -- and in doing so sheds new light on the trial and the historical relationship of science and religion in America. For the first time we see how religious objections to evolution became a prevailing concern to the American textbook industry even before the Scopes trial began. Shapiro explores both the development of biology textbooks leading up to the trial and the ways in which the textbook industry created new books and presented them as "responses" to the trial. Today, the controversy continues over textbook warning labels, making Shapiro's study -- particularly as it plays out in one of America's most famous trials -- an original contribution to a timely discussion. - Publisher.
Advances in Marine Biology by
Advances in Marine Biology'presents original research results on the leading edge of marine biology discovery. Each article has been carefully selected in an attempt to present substantial research results across a broad spectrum. In this volume, the first chapter reviews the influenza viruses in marine mammals. Chapter Two presents an overview of the development and study of marine sponge's bioactive compounds for anti-inflammatory activity for last four years i.e., 2012-2016. Chapter Three provides an updated review of the helminth fauna of cetaceans. Chapter Four discusses the effect of clays on the removal of okadaic acid from seawater. Chapter Five focuses on biomarker responses in black sea scorpian fish Scorpaena porcus to anthropogenic impact. Chapter Six provides an overview of trophic ecology of the shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus (Lamniformes: Lamnidae) in the Eastern Pacific ocean. Chapter Seven examines a fishery encompassing two of the Spanish fleet's target species that exhibit a significant ecological predatory interdependence: the blue whiting and the southern stock of European hake.
The Extreme Life of the Sea by
The ocean teems with life that thrives under difficult situations in unusual environments. The Extreme Life of the Sea takes readers to the absolute limits of the ocean world―the fastest and deepest, the hottest and oldest creatures of the oceans. It dives into the icy Arctic and boiling hydrothermal vents―and exposes the eternal darkness of the deepest undersea trenches―to show how marine life thrives against the odds. This thrilling book brings to life the sea's most extreme species, and tells their stories as characters in the drama of the oceans. Coauthored by Stephen Palumbi, one of today’s leading marine scientists, The Extreme Life of the Sea tells the unforgettable tales of some of the most marvelous life forms on Earth, and the challenges they overcome to survive. Modern science and a fluid narrative style give every reader a deep look at the lives of these species.
Imaging Marine Life: Macrophotography and Microscopy Approaches for Marine Biology by
Written by an international team of experts from the Tara Oceans Marine Biology Imaging Platform (TAOMI), this is the first and only compendium on marine imaging technologies, and includes all known underwater as well as on-land techniques.
Marine Benthos : Biology, Ecosystem Functions, and Environmental Impact by
Marine Benthos: Biology, Ecosystem Functions and Environmental Impact is a book dedicated to show a series of case studies about how benthic habitats are organized and how they function as a tool for any environmental impact studies. The present book documents how the natural condition of these communities is and aims to expand our present knowledge about their organization. The human population growth is driving a very strong pressure over coastal areas, and now more than ever we urgently need elements to evaluate environmental impacts. One of the most striking situations is the loss of biodiversity and the increase of invasive species who modify the trophic networks as well as the community structure. Many endangered species and species related to fisheries depend on the benthic habitat for their basic life cycle stages (reproduction, recruitment, nursery and feeding grounds) who might be impacted by natural and human induced causes. Ranging from species richness studies to population and community structure chapters, this book will bring the reader many options on how to measure environmental impacts. In particular, an analysis of how these environmental studies are made in Mexico provided a good example of how the present report base model is overdue and expresses the need for another approach. Keep in mind the present model does not take into account any statistical approach and is not mandatory in terms of the synergic and accumulative impacts; the lack of this consistency makes evaluation impossible to tell if the impacts are really happening.
Offshore Sea Life ID Guide by
Two-thirds of our planet lies out of sight of land, just offshore beyond the horizon. What wildlife might you find out there? And how might you identify what you see? This Offshore Sea Life ID Guide, designed for quick use on day trips off the West Coast, helps you put a name to what you see, from whales and dolphins to albatrosses, turtles, and even flyingfish. Carefully crafted color plates show species as they typically appear at sea, and expert text highlights identification features. This user-friendly field guide is essential for anyone going out on a whale-watching or birding trip, and provides a handy gateway to the wonders of the ocean.
Discoveries of the Census of Marine Life: Making Ocean Life Count by
Summary: "Over the 10-year course of the recently completed Census of Marine Life, a global network of researchers in more than 80 nations has collaborated to improve our understanding of marine biodiversity - past, present, and future. Providing insight into this remarkable project, this book explains the rationale behind the Census and highlights some of its most important and dramatic findings, illustrated with full-color photographs throughout. It explores how new technologies and partnerships have contributed to greater knowledge of marine life, from unknown species and habitats, to migration routes and distribution patterns, and to a better appreciation of how the oceans are changing. Looking to the future, it identifies what needs to be done to close the remaining gaps in our knowledge and provide information that will enable us to better manage resources, conserve diversity, reverse habitat losses, and respond to global climate change"-- Provided by publisher.
Marine Ecosystems by
Summary: Ecosystem services are emerging as a key driver of conservation policy and environmental management. Delivery of ecosystem services depends on the efficient functioning of ecosystems, which in turn depends on biodiversity and environmental conditions. Many marine ecosystems are extremely productive and highly valued, but they are increasingly threatened by human activities. With contributions from leading researchers, this volume synthesises current understanding of the effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning caused by a variety of human activities and pressures at play in coastal marine ecosystems. The authors examine the likely consequences for ecosystem service provision, covering key topics including fisheries, aquaculture, physical structures, nutrients, chemical contaminants, marine debris and invasive species. Critically reviewing the latest developments, this is a unique resource both for environmental managers and policy makers and for researchers and students in marine ecology and environmental management. -- Back cover.
The Marine World: A Natural History of Ocean Life by
Summary: "For everyone with an interest in the ocean, such as marine biologists, students, naturalists, and divers. Encompasses organisms that live in, on, and around the ocean. Includes color illustrations, line drawings, and over 1,500 color photographs, and information on identification, distribution, structure, biology, ecology, classification, and conservation"--Provided by publisher.
Fish Ecology by
In this book, the authors present current research in the study of fish ecology and marine ecosystems. It discusses topics that include: the metabolic rate of marine fish in early life and its relationship to their ecological status; antioxidant defence in marine fish; teleostean fish and the genomic content; the genetic structure of the masu salmon; the catadromous freshwater eel; and, the taxonomic representations of marine fish from archaeological assemblages in the Beagle Channel, Argentina.
Landslide Ecology by
Summary: "Despite their often dangerous and unpredictable nature, landslides provide fascinating templates for studying how soil organisms, plants, and animals respond to such destruction. The emerging field of landslide ecology helps us to understand these responses, aiding slope stabilization and restoration and contributing to progress made in geological approaches to landslide prediction and mitigation. Summarizing the growing body of literature on the ecological consequences of landslides, this book provides a framework for the promotion of ecological tools in predicting, stabilizing, and restoring biodiversity to landslide scars at both local and landscape scales. It explores nutrient cycling; soil development; and how soil organisms disperse, colonize, and interact in what is often an inhospitable environment. Recognizing the role that these processes play in providing solutions to the problem of unstable slopes, the authors present ecological approaches as useful, economical, and resilient supplements to landslide management"-- Provided by publisher.
Phylogenies in Ecology: A Guide to Concepts and Methods by
Phylogenies in Ecology is the first book to critically review the application of phylogenetic methods in ecology, and it serves as a primer to working ecologists and students of ecology wishing to understand these methods. This book demonstrates how phylogenetic information is transforming ecology by offering fresh ways to estimate the similarities and differences among species, and by providing deeper, evolutionary-based insights on species distributions, coexistence, and niche partitioning. Marc Cadotte and Jonathan Davies examine this emerging area's explosive growth, allowing for this new body of hypotheses testing.
Population Ecology: First Principles by
Ecology is capturing the popular imagination like never before, with issues such as climate change, species extinctions, and habitat destruction becoming ever more prominent. At the same time, the science of ecology has advanced dramatically, growing in mathematical and theoretical sophistication. Here, two leading experts present the fundamental quantitative principles of ecology in an accessible yet rigorous way, introducing students to the most basic of all ecological subjects, the structure and dynamics of populations. John Vandermeer and Deborah Goldberg show that populations are more than simply collections of individuals. Complex variables such as distribution and territory for expanding groups come into play when mathematical models are applied. Vandermeer and Goldberg build these models from the ground up, from first principles, using a broad range of empirical examples, from animals and viruses to plants and humans. They address a host of exciting topics along the way, including age-structured populations, spatially distributed populations, and metapopulations.
Prismatic Ecology: Ecotheory Beyond Green by
Emphasizing sustainability, balance, and the natural, green dominates our thinking about ecology like no other color. What about the catastrophic, the disruptive, the inaccessible, and the excessive? What of the ocean’s turbulence, the fecundity of excrement, the solitude of an iceberg, multihued contaminations? Prismatic Ecology moves beyond the accustomed green readings of ecotheory and maps a colorful world of ecological possibility. In a series of linked essays that span place, time, and discipline, Jeffrey Jerome Cohen brings together writers who illustrate the vibrant worlds formed by colors. Organized by the structure of a prism, each chapter explores the coming into existence of nonanthropocentric ecologies. “Red” engages sites of animal violence, apocalyptic emergence, and activism; “Maroon” follows the aurora borealis to the far North and beholds in its shimmering alternative modes of world composition; “Chartreuse” is a meditation on postsustainability and possibility within sublime excess; “Grey” is the color of the undead; “Ultraviolet” is a potentially lethal force that opens vistas beyond humanly known nature.
Cities That Think Like Planets: Complexity, Resilience, and Innovation in Hybrid Ecosystems by
As human activity and environmental change come to be increasingly recognized as intertwined phenomena on a rapidly urbanizing planet, the field of urban ecology has risen to offer useful ways of thinking about coupled human and natural systems. On the forefront of this discipline is Marina Alberti, whose innovative work offers a conceptual framework for uncovering fundamental laws that govern the complexity and resilience of cities, which she sees as key to understanding and responding to planetary change and the evolution of Earth. Bridging the fields of urban planning and ecology, Alberti describes a science of cities that work on a planetary scale and that links unpredictable dynamics to the potential for innovation. It is a science that considers interactions - at all scales - between people and built environments and between cities and their larger environments. Alberti's analyses of the various hybrid ecosystems, such as self-organization, heterogeneity, modularity, multiple equilibria, feedback, and transformation, may help humans participate in guiding the Earth away from inadvertent collapse and toward a new era of planetary co-evolution and resilience.
Eco-Reformation: Grace and Hope for a Planet in Peril by
In 2017 Christians around the world will mark the five hundredth anniversary of the Reformation. In the midst of many appeals for reformation today, a growing number of theologians, scholars, and activists around the world believe Reformation celebrations in 2017 and beyond need to focus now on the urgent need for an Eco-Reformation. The rise of industrial, fossil fuel-driven capitalism and the explosive growth in human population endanger the fundamental planetary life-support systems on which life as we know it has evolved. The collective impact of human production, consumption, and reproduction is undermining the ecological systems that support human life on Earth. If human beings do not reform their relationship with God's creation, unspeakable suffering will befall many--especially the weakest and most vulnerable among all species. The conviction at the heart of this collection of essays is that a gospel call for ecological justice belongs at the heart of the five hundredth anniversary observance of the Reformation in 2017 and as a--if not the--central dimension of Christian conversion, faith, and practice into the foreseeable future. Like Luther's Ninety-Five Theses, this volume brings together critical biblical, pastoral, theological, historical, and ethical perspectives that constructively advance the vision of a socially and ecologically flourishing Earth.
Ecology and the Environment: The Mechanisms, Marring, and Maintenance of Nature by
Ecology and the Environment: The Mechanisms, Marring, and Maintenance of Nature is the ninth title published in the Templeton Science and Religion Series, in which scientists from a wide range of fields distill their experience and knowledge into brief tours of their respective specialties. In this volume, R. J. Berry, a well-known leader in the field of ecology, describes the basic concepts in ecology and seeks to put them into a general context for a reader who lacks any scientific background.
Marine Ecosystems: Human Impacts on Biodiversity, Functioning and Services by
Summary: Ecosystem services are emerging as a key driver of conservation policy and environmental management. Delivery of ecosystem services depends on the efficient functioning of ecosystems, which in turn depends on biodiversity and environmental conditions. Many marine ecosystems are extremely productive and highly valued, but they are increasingly threatened by human activities. With contributions from leading researchers, this volume synthesises current understanding of the effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning caused by a variety of human activities and pressures at play in coastal marine ecosystems. The authors examine the likely consequences for ecosystem service provision, covering key topics including fisheries, aquaculture, physical structures, nutrients, chemical contaminants, marine debris and invasive species. Critically reviewing the latest developments, this is a unique resource both for environmental managers and policy makers and for researchers and students in marine ecology and environmental management. -- Back cover.
The New Ecology: Rethinking a Science for the Anthropocene by
Summary: Our species has transitioned from being one among millions on Earth to the species that is single-handedly transforming the entire planet to suit its own needs. In order to meet the daunting challenges of environmental sustainability in this epoch of human domination{u2014}known as the Anthropocene{u2014}ecologists have begun to think differently about the interdependencies between humans and the natural world. This concise and accessible book provides the best available introduction to what this new ecology is all about{u2014}and why it matters more than ever before.Oswald Schmitz describes how the science of ecology is evolving to provide a better understanding of how human agency is shaping the natural world, often in never-before-seen ways. The new ecology emphasizes the importance of conserving species diversity, because it can offer a portfolio of options to keep our ecosystems resilient in the face of environmental change. It envisions humans taking on new roles as thoughtful stewards of the environment to ensure that ecosystems have the enduring capacity to supply the environmental services on which our economic well-being{u2014}and our very existence{u2014}depend. It offers the ecological know-how to maintain and enhance our planet{u2019}s environmental performance and ecosystem production for the benefit of current and future generations. Informative and engaging, The New Ecology shows how today{u2019}s ecology can provide the insights we need to appreciate the crucial role we play in this era of unprecedented global environmental transition. -- Provided by publisher.
Urban Ecology: Patterns, Processes, and Applications by
Urban Ecology brings together an international team of leading scientists to discuss our current understanding of all aspects of urban environments, from the biology of the organisms that inhabit them to the diversity of ecosystem services and human social issues encountered within urban landscapes. The book is divided into five sections with the first describing the physical urban environment. Subsequent sections examine ecological patterns and processes within the urban setting, followed by the integration of ecology with social issues. The book concludes with a discussion of the applications of urban ecology to land-use planning. The emphasis throughout is on what we actually know (as well as what we should know) about the complexities of social-ecological systems in urban areas, in order to develop urban ecology as a rigorous scientific discipline.
Geriatric Medicine: An Evidence-Based Approach by
People are living longer and the population over the age of 60 is burgeoning, with repercussions for health services and healthcare expenditure in developed countries. Crucially, disease aetiology, diagnosis, and treatment in older people differ from the general adult population. Older people often have complicated co-morbidities and respond to treatment in different ways compared to younger people. Evidence of efficacy of different treatments is often lacking because older people are under-represented in clinical trials, and the specific needs of older people are rarely discussed specifically in more general texts. Geriatric medicine: an evidence based approach is a clinical reference for health care professionals who manage older patients, and summarizes up-to-date research literature in a style that can be directly applied by busy healthcare professionals and provide a useful resource for reference.
Health Care Systems Around the World by
This concise reference provides a one-stop point of research that examines major aspects of health care systems for over 190 countries worldwide. In a consistent format, ten major health care categories are systematically examined for each country: 1. Emergency Health Services; 2. Costs of Hospitalization; 3. Costs of Drugs; 4. Major Health Issues; 5. Government Role in Health Care; 6. Insurance; 7. Access to Health Care; 8. Health Care Facilities; 9. Health Care Personnel (doctor level of training, etc.); and 10. Public Health Programs. The volume is organized in alphabetical order of country names. Each country is presented on a two- or three-page spread with the same descriptive and statistical content, allowing readers to compare health care systems from country to country. For example, a reader may compare costs of drugs in France versus the United States versus Canada. Each country spread will feature short entries on the ten health care categories accompanied by charts, table, and photos as appropriate. The work culminates as a unique and essential resource for pre-med and medical students, as well as researchers in sociology, economics, and the health management fields.
Pain Medicine: An Interdisciplinary Case-based Approach by
Pain Medicine approaches the management of common chronic pain conditions using a unique interdisciplinary approach focusing on multiple facets of patients' clinical presentations. The comprehensive discussions in each chapter are centered on a vignette that mimics a fairly typical case presentation. In addition to detailed classical descriptions of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, prognosis, and confounding psychosocial factors of each disease entity, the text provides various interdisciplinary management approaches. The case-based approach illustrates key clinical points and demonstrates how practitioners from a variety of disciplines can work together to deliver optimal patient care. The ACGME criteria for fellowship training in Pain Medicine calls for an interdisciplinary approach, with required training and exposure to the fields of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. As this trend is occurring in private pain clinics and practices as well as in academic institutions, there is a need for a volume which integrates the approaches of the various disciplines into a coherent whole to guide clinicians and trainees in the interdisciplinary management of pain. With each chapter authored by respected experts in the key specialties involved with pain management, Pain Medicine is a highly applicable clinical reference for practitioners, an excellent anchor text for fellows and residents in training, and a thorough review for initial board certification as well as maintenance of certification exams.
Shadow Medicine by
Haller's book tours key topics in the standoff between EBM and CAM: how and why the double blinded, randomized clinical trial (RCT) came to be considered the gold standard in modern medicine; the challenge of postmodern medicine as it counters the positivism of evidence-based medicine; and the politics of modern CAM and the rise of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. He conducts an in-depth case study of homeopathy, explaining why it has emerged as a poster-child for CAM, and assesses CAM's popularity despite its poor performance in clinical trials. Haller concludes with hope, showing how new experimental protocols might tease out the evidentiary basis for the placebo effect and establish a foundation for some reconciliation between EBM and CAM.
Simulations in Medicine: Pre-Clincial and Clinical Applications by
Annotation 'Simulations in Medicine' describes biological and medical phenomena and how they can be virtually simulated by breaking them down into basic principles. It introduces a wide spectrum of applications, from molecules, tissues, and organs up to the whole body, with a focus on how to use and interpret these simulations.
Being Mortal by
Summary: Medicine has triumphed in modern times, transforming birth, injury, and infectious disease from harrowing to manageable. But in the inevitable condition of aging and death, the goals of medicine seem too frequently to run counter to the interest of the human spirit. Nursing homes, preoccupied with safety, pin patients into railed beds and wheelchairs. Hospitals isolate the dying, checking for vital signs long after the goals of cure have become moot. Doctors, committed to extending life, continue to carry out devastating procedures that in the end extend suffering. Gawande, a practicing surgeon, addresses his profession's ultimate limitation, arguing that quality of life is the desired goal for patients and families. Gawande offers examples of freer, more socially fulfilling models for assisting the infirm and dependent elderly, and he explores the varieties of hospice care to demonstrate that a person's last weeks or months may be rich and dignified.
Where Science and Ethics Meet: Dilemmas at the Frontiers of Medicine and Biology by
Recent biomedical discoveries promise considerable improvement in the quality of human life, but they also hold the potential to permanently alter society. Are the anticipated benefits worth the price we would have to pay for them? In Where Science and Ethics Meet: Dilemmas at the Frontiers of Medicine and Biology, a biochemist and a biomedical researcher who are highly experienced in explaining ethics for lay audiences present the most innovative advances in biomedicine and enable readers to develop their own opinions about the ethical and social consequences these technologies will bring.