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How hormonal signals in one small structure of the brain—the hypothalamus—govern our physiology and behavior. As human beings, we prefer to think of ourselves as reasonable. But how much of what we do is really governed by reason? In this book, Gareth Leng considers the extent to which one small structure of the neuroendocrine brain—the hypothalamus—influences what we do, how we love, and who we are. The hypothalamus contains a large variety of neurons. These communicate not only through neurotransmitters, but also through peptide signals that act as hormones within the brain. While neurotransmitter signals tend to be ephemeral and confined by anatomical connectivity, the hormone signals that hypothalamic neurons generate are potent, wide-reaching, and long-lasting. Leng explores the evolutionary origins of these remarkable neurons, and where the receptors for their hormone signals are found in the brain. By asking how the hypothalamic neurons and their receptors are regulated, he explores how the hypothalamus links our passions with our reason. The Heart of the Brain shows in an accessible way how this very small structure is very much at the heart of what makes us human.
How biases, the desire for a good narrative, reliance on citation metrics, and other problems undermine confidence in modern science. Modern science is built on experimental evidence, yet scientists are often very selective in deciding what evidence to use and tend to disagree about how to interpret it. In The Matter of Facts, Gareth and Rhodri Leng explore how scientists produce and use evidence. They do so to contextualize an array of problems confronting modern science that have raised concerns about its reliability: the widespread use of inappropriate statistical tests, a shortage of replication studies, and a bias in both publishing and citing “positive” results. Before these proble...
The safeguarding of authentic facts is essential, especially in this disruptive Orwellian age, where digital technologies have opened the door to a post-truth world in which "alternative facts" can be so easily accepted as valid. And because facts matter, evidence matters. In this urgent manifesto, archives luminary Millar makes the case that authentic and accurate records, archives, data, and other sources of documentary proof are crucial in supporting and fostering a society that is respectful, democratic, and self-aware. An eye-opening treatise for the general public, an invaluable resource for archives students, and a provocative call-to-arms for information and records professionals, Mi...
Marine fungi play a major role in marine and mangrove ecosystems. Understanding how higher fungi with their spectrum of cellulolytic and ligninolytic enzymes degrade wood tissue, while labyrinthuloids and thraustochytrids further contribute to the dissolved organic matter entering the open ocean is essential to marine ecology. This work provides an overview of marine fungi including morphology and ultrastructure, phylogeny, biogeography and biodiversity. Increasingly, biotechnology is also turning to these organisms to develop new bioactive compounds and to address problems such as decomposition of materials in the ocean and bioremediation of oil spills. These potential applications of marine fungi are also treated. In the light of massive marine oil spills in the past years, the importance of understanding marine fungi and their role in the food chain cannot be underestimated.
Electrospun Polymers and Composites: Ultrafine Materials, High Performance Fibres and Wearables reviews the latest technological developments and innovations in electrospun polymers and composites, highlighting the multifunctionality of these ultrafine materials as high performance fibers. The book's chapters investigate a wide range of different electrospinning applications, including drug delivery, tissue scaffolding, fiber reinforcement and nanofiltration, with a particular focus on shape memory effect and the wearable characteristics of electrospun polymers and composites. This will be a valuable reference resource for research and for industrial communities working in the field of electrospinning.
Neurophysiology of Neuroendocrine Neurons provides researchers and students with not only an understanding of neuroendocrine cell electrophysiology, but also an appreciation of how this model system affords access to virtually all parts of the neuron for detailed study - something unique compared to most types of neuron in the brain. Chapters range from those describing the rich history and current state of in vivo recordings, highlighting the precise relationship between the patterns of action potential discharge in these neurons and hormone release, to in vitro approaches where neuroendocrine neurons can be precisely identified and their membrane properties, morphology, and synaptic respon...
The transmission of the nervous impulse is always from the dendritic branches and the cell body to the axon or functional process. Every neuron, then, possesses a receptor apparatus, the body and the dendritic prolongations, an apparatus of emission, the axon, and the apparatus of distribution, the terminal arborization of the nerve fibers. I designated the foregoing principle: the theory of dynamic polarization (Cajal 1923). Ever since the beautiful drawings from Golgi and Cajal, we have been familiar with the organisation of neurones into dendritic, somatic and axonal compartments. Cajal proposed that these cellular compartments were specialised, resulting in his concept of ^dynamic polari...
Neuroendocrinology with its well defined functions, inputs, and outputs, is one of the most fertile grounds for computational modeling in neuroscience. But modeling is often seen as something of a dark art. This book aims to display the power of modeling approaches in neuroendocrinology, and to showcase its potential for understanding these complex systems. A recurring theme in neuroendocrinology is rhythms. How are rhythms generated, and what purpose do they serve? Are these two questions inextricably intertwined? This book is written for innocents, presuming no math beyond high school or computing beyond calculators. It seeks to lead the curious into the thinking of the modeler, providing ...
We are already living in the future. Artificial intelligence is playing an even-greater role in society: from the 'weaponization' of software to the possibility of a post-antibiotic age. The Sentient Machine is the perfect guide to this brave new world. Amir Husain outlines the history behind artificial intelligence from the creation myth of Frankenstein to the advances made by technology innovators such as Elon Musk. Amir Husain asks the essential question: what is the future for humanity in a world that is dominated by machines? Will machines solve all human problems or will they lead us down a dystopian path to human irrelevance? Husain asks what will be the consequences - from job losses...
This cutting-edge, interdisciplinary volume describes established and state of the art approaches for exploring the pathways that influence and control appetite, including: behavioural, electrophysiological, neuroanatomical, gene knockout and pharmacological techniques. The book presents key peptide and neurotransmitter systems, together with newly emerging concepts of metabolic signalling and hypothalamic inflammation. The impact of early life experience on neuroendocrine appetite circuits is also looked at, including early programming of these circuits by circulating hormones. Finally, new emerging therapeutic approaches to appetite suppression are discussed, including those linked to bari...