Systems Biology is an interdisciplinary approach to the study of life made possible through the explosion of molecular data made available through the genome revolution and the simultaneous development of computational technologies that allow us to interpret these large data sets. Systems Biology has changed the way biological science views and studies life and has been implemented in research efforts across the biological sciences. Systems Biology and Livestock Science will be the first book to review the latest advances using this research methodology in efforts to improve the efficiency, health, and quality of livestock production. Systems Biology and Livestock Science opens with useful introductory chapters explaining key systems biology principles. The chapters then progress to look at specific advances in fields across livestock science. Coverage includes, but is not limited to, chapters on systems biology approaches to animal nutrition, reproduction, health and disease, and animal physiology. Written by leading researchers in the field, Systems Biology and Livestock Science, will be an invaluable resource to researchers, professionals, and advance students working in this rapidly developing discipline.

Although the highly anticipated petascale computers of the near future will perform at an order of magnitude faster than today's quickest supercomputer, the scaling up of algorithms and applications for this class of computers remains a tough challenge. From scalable algorithm design for massive concurrency toperformance analyses and scientific vis

This book lays out a number of the general issues concerning the structure of rugged fitness landscapes and examines both the history and the current status of experimental work on somatic mutation and the maturation of the immune response.

Advances in Mathematical Chemistry and Applications highlights the recent progress in the emerging discipline of discrete mathematical chemistry. Editors Subhash C. Basak, Guillermo Restrepo, and Jose Luis Villaveces have brought together 27 chapters written by 68 internationally renowned experts in these two volumes. Each volume comprises a wise integration of mathematical and chemical concepts and covers numerous applications in the field of drug discovery, bioinformatics, chemoinformatics, computational biology, mathematical proteomics, and ecotoxicology. Volume 1 includes chapters on mathematical structural descriptors of molecules and biomolecules, applications of partially ordered sets (posets) in chemistry, optimal characterization of molecular complexity using graph theory, different connectivity matrices and their polynomials, use of 2D fingerprints in similarity-based virtual screening, mathematical approaches to molecular structure generation, comparability graphs, applications of molecular topology in drug design, density functional theory of chemical reactivity, application of mathematical descriptors in the quantification of drug-likeness, utility of pharmacophores in drug design, and much more. - Brings together both the theoretical and practical aspects of the fundamental concepts of mathematical chemistry - Covers applications in diverse areas of physics, chemistry, drug discovery, predictive toxicology, systems biology, chemoinformatics, and bioinformatics - Revised 2015 edition includes a new chapter on the current landscape of hierarchical QSAR modelling - About half of the book focuses primarily on current work, new applications, and emerging approaches for the mathematical characterization of essential aspects of molecular structure, while the other half describes applications of structural approach to new drug discovery, virtual screening, protein folding, predictive toxicology, DNA structure, and systems biology

With the emergence of Systems Biology, there is a greater realization that the whole behavior of a living system may not be simply described as the sum of its elements. To represent a living system using mathematical principles, practical quantities with units are required. Quantities are not only the bridge between mathematical description and biological observations; they often stand as essential elements similar to genome information in genetics. This important realization has greatly rejuvenated research in the area of Quantitative Biology. Because of the increased need for precise quantification, a new era of technological development has opened. For example, spatio-temporal high-resolution imaging enables us to track single molecule behavior in vivo. Clever artificial control of experimental conditions and molecular structures has expanded the variety of quantities that can be directly measured. In addition, improved computational power and novel algorithms for analyzing theoretical models have made it possible to investigate complex biological phenomena. This research topic is organized on two aspects of technological advances which are the backbone of Quantitative Biology: (i) visualization of biomolecules, their dynamics and function, and (ii) generic technologies of model optimization and numeric integration. We have also included articles highlighting the need for new quantitative approaches to solve some of the long-standing cell biology questions. In the first section on visualizing biomolecules, four cutting-edge techniques are presented. Ichimura et al. provide a review of quantum dots including their basic characteristics and their applications (for example, single particle tracking). Horisawa discusses a quick and stable labeling technique using click chemistry with distinct advantages compared to fluorescent protein tags. The relatively small physical size, stability of covalent bond and simple metabolic labeling procedures in living cells provides this type of technology a potential to allow long-term imaging with least interference to protein function. Obien et al. review strategies to control microelectrodes for detecting neuronal activity and discuss techniques for higher resolution and quality of recordings using monolithic integration with on-chip circuitry. Finally, the original research article by Amariei et al. describes the oscillatory behavior of metabolites in bacteria. They describe a new method to visualize the periodic dynamics of metabolites in large scale cultures populations. These four articles contribute to the development of quantitative methods visualizing diverse targets: proteins, electrical signals and metabolites. In the second section of the topic, we have included articles on the development of computational tools to fully harness the potential of quantitative measurements through either calculation based on specific model or validation of the model itself. Kimura et al. introduce optimization procedures to search for parameters in a quantitative model that can reproduce experimental data. They present four examples: transcriptional regulation, bacterial chemotaxis, morphogenesis of tissues and organs, and cell cycle regulation. The original research article by Sumiyoshi et al. presents a general methodology to accelerate stochastic simulation efforts. They introduce a method to achieve 130 times faster computation of stochastic models by applying GPGPU. The strength of such accelerated numerical calculation are sometimes underestimated in biology; faster simulation enables multiple runs and in turn improved accuracy of numerical calculation which may change the final conclusion of modeling study. This also highlights the need to carefully assess simulation results and estimations using computational tools.

Following on from Advances in BioChirality, Progress in Biological Chirality provides a unique summary and review of the most recent developments in the field of biochirality. Living organisms use only one enantiomer of chiral molecules in the majority of biologically important processes. The exact origin and mechanisms for this surprising selectivity are not yet known. This book discusses current research aimed at identifying the scientific reasons that may contribute to this phenomenon. Progress in Biological Chirality takes an interdisciplinary approach to this exciting field, covering a wide range of topics, such as, theory, palaeontology and food technology, to name but a few. This book presents findings via a broad spectrum of scientific approaches making it an excellent overview of Biological Chirality, suitable for postgraduate students, practitioners and researchers in the field of chemistry, biochemistry, biology, palaeontology, and food science with an interest in Chirality. - This book contains 32 chapters written by Authors, who are leading authorities in the field - Presents the most recent research taking place in this highly challenging field - Contains both reference material for the specialist and provides an overview for those who are interested in the fundamental problems of biology and chemistry