This volume contains 29 engrossing chapters contributed by worldwide, leading research groups in the field of chemical biology. Topics include pre-biology; the establishment of the genetic code; isomerization of RNA; damage of nucleobases in RNA; the dynamic structure of nucleic acids and their analogs in DNA replication, extra- and intra-cellular transport; molecular crowding by the use of ionic liquids; new technologies enabling the modification of gene expression via editing of therapeutic genes; the use of riboswitches; the modification of mRNA cap regions; new approaches to detect appropriately modified RNAs with EPR spectroscopy and the use of parallel and high-throughput techniques for the analysis of the structure and new functions of nucleic acids. This volume discusses how chemistry can add new frontiers to the field of nucleic acids in molecular medicine, biotechnology and nanotechnology and is not only an invaluable source of information to chemists, biochemists and life scientists but will also stimulate future research.

The literature on recoding is scattered, so this superb book ?lls a need by prov- ing up-to-date, comprehensive, authoritative reviews of the many kinds of recoding phenomena. Between 1961 and 1966 my colleagues and I deciphered the genetic code in Escherichia coli and showed that the genetic code is the same in E. coli, Xenopus laevis, and guinea pig tissues. These results showed that the code has been c- served during evolution and strongly suggested that the code appeared very early during biological evolution, that all forms of life on earth descended from a c- mon ancestor, and thus that all forms of life on this planet are related to one another. The problem of biological time was solved by encoding information in DNA and retrieving the information for each new generation, for it is easier to make a new organism than it is to repair an aging, malfunctioning one. Subsequently, small modi?cations of the standard genetic code were found in certain organisms and in mitochondria. Mitochondrial DNA only encodes about 10–13 proteins, so some modi?cations of the genetic code are tolerated that pr- ably would be lethal if applied to the thousands of kinds of proteins encoded by genomic DNA.

Americans are living longer, and the elder population is growing larger. To meet the ongoing need for quality information on elder health, the Encyclopedia of Aging and Public Health combines multiple perspectives to offer readers a more accurate and complete picture of the aging process. The book takes a biopsychosocial approach to the complexities of its subject. In-depth introductory chapters include coverage on a historical and demographic overview of aging in America, a guide to biological changes accompanying aging, an analysis of the diversity of the U.S. elder population, legal issues commonly affecting older adults, and the ethics of using cognitively impaired elders in research. From there, over 425 entries cover the gamut of topics, trends, diseases, and phenomena: -Specific populations, including ethnic minorities, custodial grandparents, and centenarians -Core medical conditions associated with aging, from cardiac and pulmonary diseases to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s -Mental and emotional disorders -Drugs/vitamins/alternative medicine -Disorders of the eyes, feet, and skin -Insomnia and sleep disorders; malnutrition and eating disorders -Sexual and gender-related concerns -And a broad array of social and political issues, including access to care, abuse/neglect, veterans’ affairs, and assisted suicide Entries on not-quite-elders’ concerns (e.g., midlife crisis, menopause) are featured as well. And all chapters and entries include references and resource lists. The Encyclopedia has been developed for maximum utility to clinicians, social workers, researchers, and public health professionals working with older adults. Its multidisciplinary coverage and scope of topics make this volume an invaluable reference for academic and public libraries.

"Leben ist die schonste Erfindung der Natur und der Tod ist ihr Kunstgriff, viel Leben zu haben" . J. W. v. Goethe Life is the most beautiful invention of nature, and death is her device to exhibit most life. The eminent British biologist Sir Vincent B. Wigglesworth noted in 1939 that insects are an ideal medium in which to study all problems of physiology. Many fundamental discoveries in biology, particularly genetics and development, have been made on the basis of studies conducted in insects. Because of their ex treme adaptability and diversity, an appropriate insect model is available for the study of virtually any biological problems. The applicability to other groups, including mammals, of basic studies conducted on insects has helped in the gradual acceptance of the fundamental unity of biochemical principles as a dogma among biologists, as well as among enlightened medical scientists. With the recent upsurge of interest in the study of the aging process, in sects have been increasingly employed not only for the investigation of basic mechanisms of aging, but also to gain insight into the evolution of aging and senescence. If only one aging mechanism exists, it is foreseeable that some in sects, especially Drosophila, will help to unravel its molecular basis. Because of their diversity, existing studies in the gerontology of insects are widely scat tered in various specialized journals. This wealth of existing information has not, as yet, been brought together in a synthesized and comprehensive form.

Biology of Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases, Volume 48 in The Enzymes series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on A narrative about our work on the endless frontier of editing, The puzzling evolution of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, Structural basis of the tRNA recognition by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, Catalytic strategies of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, Trans-editing by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-like editing domains, Adaptive and maladaptive mistranslation arising from aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, Non-canonical inputs and outputs of tRNA aminoacylation, Structure and function of multi-tRNA synthetase complexes, Mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, Non-canonical functions of human cytoplasmic tyrosyl-, tryptophanyl- and other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, and much more. - Provides the authority and expertise of leading contributors from an international board of authors - Presents the latest release in The Enzymes series