Life Science

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in Biochemistry: Principles and Applications focuses on the principles and applications of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in biochemistry. Topics covered include experimental methods in NMR; the mechanisms of NMR relaxation; chemical and paramagnetic shifts; spin-spin splitting; the use of NMR in investigations of biopolymers and biomolecular interactions; and molecular dynamics in biological and biochemical systems. This text is comprised of eight chapters; the first of which gives an overview of NMR spectroscopy and its use in studies of biological systems. The next two chapters discuss the theoretical basis for NMR applications in biochemistry, with emphasis on Bloch equations, quantum mechanics, correlation function and correlation time, double resonance, and chemical exchange. The reader is then introduced to the basis for chemical shifts and spin-spin splitting, along with several examples of the use of these NMR parameters in studies of small molecule interactions and structure. The experimental apparatus and procedures employed in NMR studies, Fourier transform NMR, and NMR spectral parameters of small molecules interacting with macromolecules are also considered. The book highlights the information obtainable from the spectra of biopolymers, and then concludes with a chapter on NMR investigations of the state of motion of lipids in membranes and model membranes; water in macromolecular and cellular systems; and sodium ion in biological tissue. This book is intended primarily for chemists, biochemists, biophysicists, and molecular biologists, as well as graduate students.

The Peptides: Analysis, Synthesis, Biology, Volume 6: Opioid Peptides: Biology, Chemistry, and Genetics presents a biological topic of peptide research. This book is divided into nine chapters. Chapter 1 reviews the opioid peptide precursors and their genes. The proenkephalin and products of its processing are discussed in Chapter 2. In Chapter 3, the role of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) as a protein at the interface of the endocrine and nervous systems is examined. Chapter 4 provides a comprehensive account of the biology and chemistry of the dynorphin peptides. The opioid receptors are described in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 evaluates the structure-activity relationships of -endorphin, while Chapter 7 considers the conformational analysis of enkephalins and conformation-activity relationships. The structure-activity relationships among enkephalin peptides are elaborated in Chapter 8. The last chapter is devoted to the clinical significance of opioid peptides in humans. This publication is a good reference for biologists, specialists, and researchers concerned with peptides and proteins.

Perinatal Genetics: Diagnosis and Treatment brings together the proceedings of the 15 Annual New York State Health Department Birth Defects Symposium held on September 30-October 1, 1984 in Albany, New York. The symposium provided a forum for clarifying and rationalizing certain aspects of diagnosis and treatment of perinatal genetic birth defects such as fragile X syndrome, phenylketonuria, and hypothyroidism. Comprised of 17 chapters, this book begins with an epidemiological review of very early pregnancy loss, focusing on fertilization and implantation; the probability of loss between fertilization and implantation (on about the sixth day), and between implantation and the 14th day (the first day of the expected next period in a non-pregnant woman); and the contribution of chromosomal errors in the sperm, ovum, and zygote to early reproductive loss. The reader is then introduced to cytogenetic abnormalities in spontaneous abortions of recognized conceptions; repetitive spontaneous abortion; and prenatal genetic diagnosis by chorionic villus sampling. Subsequent chapters explore prenatal treatment of biochemical disorders; in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer; and moral issues concerning third trimester pregnancy terminations. This monograph will appeal to perinatologists, neonatologists, obstetricians, pediatricians, and geneticists and should also serve as a useful guide for health professionals who provide care to pregnant women and their newborns.

Physiology of Woody Plants explains how physiological processes are involved in growth of woody plants and how they are affected by the environment, including the mechanisms of the processes themselves. Organized into 17 chapters, this book discusses the role of plant physiology, as well as the form and structure of woody plant. It also explores the nature and periodicity of shoot, cambial, root, and reproductive growth of trees of the temperate and tropical zones. Other topics elucidated are the process of photosynthesis and respiration, the various substances found in woody plants, plant nutrition, and factors affecting plant growth. This book will be valuable as a text to students and teachers and as a reference to investigators and others who desire a better understanding of how woody plants grow.

"This fully revised translation of the world-renowned German edition covers the complete and modern knowledge of plant biochemistry. The book presents the topic in a concise and simplified manner so that students can digest the message and gain a basic knowledge of the entire field of plant biochemistry, from photosynthesis (the synthesis of natural plant products) to all kinds of genetic engineering with its many commercial applications. Topics include cell structure and function, lipid and polysaccharide metabolism, nitrogen fixation, phloem transport, synthesis and function of isoprenoids, phenylpropanoids and other secondary metabolites, plant growth regulation and development. Heldt provides a comprehensive description of photosynthesis, primary and secondary metabolism, the function of phytohormones and molecular engineering. The text covers research findings until the end of 2003 and identifies areas of future research. There are extensive references to the most recent scientific literature. Key Features. Illustrated with two-color diagrams and well designed metabolic schemes. Plant metabolism presented in the context of the structure and function of the plant. Many examples of commercial applications for the protection and quality improvement of harvest crops, plant breeding, and the production of raw materials for industrial use. Coverage of the latest research findings"

Plant Biochemistry, Third Edition examines the fundamental aspects of plant biochemistry and biology, including taxonomy, morphology, ecology, horticulture, agronomy, and phytopathology. It discusses the substructures and subfunctions of plant cells, the basic metabolism of plants, and the mechanism and regulation as well as physiological significance of various pathways of photosynthetic carbon dioxide assimilation. Comprised of 26 chapters, this edition begins with an overview of the subcellular components of the plant cell, the overall logic or strategy that the cell uses, and the operation of individual subcellular systems. It discusses the plant ribosomes and nuclei, biosynthesis and assembly of cell membranes in plants, distribution and functional roles of microbodies in plants, photosynthesis and the general biology of chloroplasts, and plant microtubules. The remaining chapters focus on the biochemistry and functions of vacuoles, the primary cell wall and its biogenesis, the regulation of enzyme activity in metabolic pathways, the monosaccharides and oligosaccharides, and the lipid metabolism. The book concludes with a chapter on biological nitrogen fixation and its practical applications in agriculture. This book is a valuable resource for biochemists and plant biologists as well as advanced students or professional workers in plant sciences.