The book "The Mediterranean Genetic Code - Grapevine and Olive" collects relevant papers documenting the results of research in grapevine and olive genetics, as a contribution to overall compendium of the existing biodiversity for both species with insight into molecular mechanisms responsible for their desirable and important traits. Book encompasses a broad and diverse palette of different topics related to grapevine and olive genetics, with no areal or any other strict limitation, keeping the title as a loose frame for borderless science. Divided in four sections it takes us for a "molecular walk" through different levels of genetic variability, uncovering the remains of still existing wild populations and treasures of neglected local peculiarities, weaving the network from plant to product and back to the beginning, to the hearth of all questions asked and answers hidden in genetics.

This book provides an overview on the basics in insect molecular biology and presents the most recent developments in several fields such as insect genomics and proteomics, insect pathology and applications of insect derived compounds in modern research. The book aims to provide a common platform for the molecular entomologist to stimulate further research in insect molecular biology and biotechnology. Insects are one of the most versatile groups of the animal kingdom. Due to their large population sizes and adaptability since long they attract researchers’ interest as efficient resource for agricultural and biotechnological purposes. Several economically important insects such as Silkworms, Honey Bee, Lac and Drosophila or Termites were established as invertebrate model organisms. Starting with the era of genetic engineering, a broad range of molecular and genetic tools have been developed to study the molecular biology of these insects in detail and thus opened up a new horizon for multidisciplinary research. Nowadays, insect derived products are widely used in biomedical and biotechnology industries. The book targets researchers from both academia and industry, professors and graduate students working in molecular biology, biotechnology and entomology.

An assemblage of approximately twenty moth species belonging to the families Crambidae, Pyralidae and Noctuidae constitute the most important cereal pests in many parts of Africa. The caterpillars of these moths bore into the stems of maize, sorghum, millet and rice, often killing the plant, and are commonly known as stem or stalk borers. The cereals attacked are grown on small farms to feed the farmers and their families and are of great importance as the staple food for the population in most parts of Africa. Complex control measures, including the use of chemicals, are often inappropriate. This book provides the information necessary for pursuing integrated pest management of African cereal stem borers, in particular strategies using natural enemy components. The book begins by characterizing the economically important species by region and by their biology and host plants. The book then describes in detail the taxonomy and rearing techniques for the moths, their larvae and their natural enemies. It includes illustrated keys of species and lists of distributions and hosts, and it concludes with a summary of current control measures and those being investigated.

Protected areas are at the base of the most national and international conservation strategies. Due to the many unpredictable elements in ecology matters, each protected area requires a case-specific set of guidelines but a common issue is how to cope with human interaction. The management of protected areas is replete with challenges and the only way to gain understanding and achieve greater management possibilities is to exchange experiences and knowledge. Environmental managers are aware of that and together with scientists are looking for more modern and better solutions, both with respect to natural resources and human interactions in many issues regarding nature protection. This publication presents reviews and research results on protected areas management, as well as 12 case studies derived from around the world with the aim of improving management effectiveness of the protected areas.

Genetic diversity is one of the measures of biodiversity and has consequences in biological variation. It is crucial to understand the evolutionary and adaptative processes in all living species. This book is an interdisciplinary and integrated work that will contribute to the knowledge of academics from different areas of biological sciences. This collection of scientific papers was chosen and analyzed to offer readers a broad and integrated view of the importance of genetic diversity in the evolution and adaptation of living beings, as well as practical applications of the information needed to analyze this diversity in different organisms. This book was edited by geneticist researchers and provides academics with up-to-date and quality information on the subject.

The book describes emergent investigations related to wine safety and quality, showing the relationship between these concerns and consumer preferences, with a special emphasis on the beneficial effects of wine on human health. The first part of the book describes the most relevant aspects of wine safety, emphasizing the advances offered by new technologies and biotechnological progress, as well as the impact of global climate change. The second part deals with consumer preferences, a topic little discussed in previous texts, but that has gained traction not only from the scientific point of view, but also at the industrial and social level. Finally, the last section provides an opportunity for deeper recapitulation of the beneficial effects of wine and its components on human health, including novel experimental approaches and data interpretation. From the point of view of chemical and sensory complexity,as well as human health, wine is a model product that has been the focus of extensive research, with findings over the last several years being of increasing interest to winemakers, researchers and consumers.

This book reviews the molecular genetics of the thalassemia syndromes, inherited hemoglobin disorders that comprise the commonest monogenic disorders globally. Thalassemias are found in high frequencies in tropical regions corresponding to the malaria belt. Beta thalassemia traits show high HbA2 by HPLC, and β-globin mutations (commonly point mutations) are detected by using ARMS-PCR, reverse dot-blot analysis and β-globin gene sequencing. Globally >300 β globin gene mutations exist, however regional mutations are limited to 5-6 common ones. Alpha globin gene defects can only be identified by molecular tests, the exception being HbH disease that shows "golf ball" appearance in HbH preparation, pre-integration peaks on HPLC and a fast-moving band on hemoglobin electrophoresis. Multiplex Gap-PCR identifies common α-globin gene deletions. Specific PCR across the junction caused by the unequal crossing over can detect α-gene triplication. However, heterozygosity or homozygous triplication cannot be resolved by this technique. Non-deletional α-thalassemia can be characterized by specific α-globin gene sequencing. Identification of unusual deletions requires Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification. In conclusion, the molecular characterization of human globin gene disorders is required to resolve the phenotypically heterogeneous thalassemia syndromes. Molecular analysis is also an important tool to prevent these disorders by offering prenatal screening in regions with a high disease burden.