Since ancient times, asymptomatic bone variations have been studied in many different disciplines. In radiology, for example, they enable the differentiation of the typical from the anomalous, but in biological anthropology they are especially useful in answering questions about humans and their diachronic and synchronic variability. This book provides an easily accessible presentation of the osseous variations of the postcranial skeleton (from the spine to the feet), which are sometimes poorly understood by the scientific community. These variations are examined one by one, with definitions, population frequencies and complete illustrations given for each. Asymptomatic Osseous Variations of the Postcranial Human Skeleton is intended as a comprehensive reference manual for further research on these types of skeletal variations.

Since ancient times, asymptomatic bone variations have been studied in many different disciplines. In radiology, for example, they enable the differentiation of the typical from the anomalous, but in biological anthropology they are especially useful in answering questions about humans and their diachronic and synchronic variability. This book provides an easily accessible presentation of the osseous variations of the postcranial skeleton (from the spine to the feet), which are sometimes poorly understood by the scientific community. These variations are examined one by one, with definitions, population frequencies and complete illustrations given for each. Asymptomatic Osseous Variations of the Postcranial Human Skeleton is intended as a comprehensive reference manual for further research on these types of skeletal variations.

Behind the neologism “ribozymes” lies a family of fascinating molecules, ribo-enzymes, which have been relatively little studied. These catalytically active RNAs are found in all strata of life, from viruses to the human genome. At the end of the 1970s, the discovery of a catalytic RNA nestled in an intron, followed by another involved in the maturation of transfer RNAs, led to the discovery of new ribozymes and the transition from a strictly “proteocentric” vision, inherited from the dogma of molecular biology, to a more “nucleocentric” one. Since then, a variety of ribozymes have been identified in genomes, where their functions often remain mysterious. Looking at Ribozymes traces the discovery of these molecules and presents a picture of their functional diversity, catalytic mechanisms and distribution within the tree of life.

This book provides a comprehensive review of the history of concepts of the endocrine, nervous and immune systems throughout the last century. Historically, these systems were long considered as compartments that performed separate and different functions. However, a breakthrough occurred when advances in genetics and cellular and molecular biology techniques revealed that these systems shared molecular entities (such as cytokines, hormones and neurotransmitters) with their cognate receptors. These molecular links between the three systems broaden our understanding of the regulation of physiological processes. This approach has generated a multiplicity of new concepts, including crosstalk between organs, axis, feedback, molecular sensors, protein multi-functionality, positive and negative signaling ratios and pathways (such as cell signaling, metabolism and stem cell differentiation, to name a few). The improvement of experimental approaches has often resulted in major discoveries. This, combined with clear reasoning, intuition and coherence gave rise to new and unexpected concepts, and sometimes evolving ones. These new concepts lead the reader to the incredible transformation of biology in recent years.

Our knowledge of living organisms is still very limited, with less than 20% of the world’s species known to date. It is therefore essential to increase our efforts to inventory biodiversity. This is the goal of scientific research, but it is also a vital responsibility in the face of the sixth extinction. With so many species set to disappear before they can be analyzed, the compilation of this inventory now represents a major challenge. Thanks to the collaborative work of numerous researchers from the Institut de systématique, évolution, biodiversité (ISYEB) and other institutions, Inventory of Biodiversity Today presents the latest methods of field data collection and analysis. Strategies have diversified and are providing new and ever-more-precise data on a growing number of specimens. All of these data are integrated to delimit and describe living species, and are accessible to as many people as possible, so we can all take action on a daily basis to better understand and preserve our planet.

Symmetry and the causes of shifts in different types of symmetries in flowers follow specific patterns that are ruled by developmental and genetic factors. Using a unified system of phyllotaxic equations, we have modeled the molecular mechanisms and pressure forces that act in inflorescence and floral meristems, giving flowers their organ arrangement. In this book, we state general physical principles, whereby the symmetry of the perianth is derived from the symmetry of certain TCP gene expression. Thus, we define the interplay between the expression of CYC2-like genes and the phyllotactic mechanisms. This new evo-devo approach is applied to major groups of angiosperms with predominantly actinomorphic flowers (in which rare zygomorphy is positional) and groups with mainly bilaterally symmetrical flowers (in which zygomorphy is constitutional). It has thus allowed us to revisit the contributions of the great floral morphologists of the 20th and early 21st centuries.

On the edge of the Arctic Ocean, above the Arctic Circle, the prehistoric settlements at Point Hope, Alaska, represent a truly remarkable accomplishment in human biological and cultural adaptations. Presenting a set of anthropological analyses on the human skeletal remains and cultural material from the Ipiutak and Tigara archaeological sites, The Foragers of Point Hope sheds new light on the excavations from 1939–41, which provided one of the largest sets of combined biological and cultural materials of northern latitude peoples in the world. A range of material items indicated successful human foraging strategies in this harsh Arctic environment. They also yielded enigmatic artifacts indicative of complex human cultural life filled with dense ritual and artistic expression. These remnants of past human activity contribute to a crucial understanding of past foraging lifeways and offer important insights into the human condition at the extreme edges of the globe.