Why should the gene be suggested to be inconstant when the contrary view, that gene structure is invariant except through mutagenic processes induced by potent external factors, has long been a universal doctrine of genetics? Indeed, during the early part of the present century before mutation was recognized as being of general occurrence, the seeming unvarying nature of the gene led to skepticism regarding the validity of the evolutionary theory; only later could the origins of the morphological differences between individuals and species be attributed to a combination of mutation and evolution, involving natural forces selecting between favorable and unfavorable genetic changes. But during the past several decades, as knowledge of the macromolecular constitution of or ganisms has increased to the point where even the primary structures of the genes themselves are being revealed on a routine basis, it has become increas ingly difficult to ascribe all the resulting observations to ordinary mutagenesis and natural selection. Some more profound mechanism often seems to be present that influences both the constancy and inconstancy of the genes, an ap paratus whose existence this study hopes to reveal. In seeking to demonstrate the universality of this mechanism, data are sought through the numerous activities of organisms of many types wherever gene action changes are manifest.

Genetics accepts contributions that present the results of original research in genetics and related scientific disciplines.

This fully revised and updated edition of GENETIC SKIN DISORDERS reflects the most current understanding of the diagnosis, treatment, genetic basis, and differential diagnoses of inherited skin disorders. Organized with the needs of busy clinicians in mind, it offers detailed clinical guidance on the signs, symptoms, mode of inheritance, recurrence risk, and diagnosis of over 300 skin disorders, all in an accessible, at-a-glance format. Annotated bibliographies highlight the most relevant and up-to-date medical literature. Newly compiled lists of support groups, both national and international, for patients and their families supplement the ample resources for medical professionals. Informed by the author's extensive clinical experience and suffused with a distinctive, witty voice, GENETIC SKIN DISORDERS is an ideal companion in the laboratory, clinic, or consulting room. FEATURES · Includes both disease-based chapters and an appendix of skin signs that simplifies differential diagnosis for specialists and general practitioners alike · More than 800 color photographs illustrate the full spectrum of hair, skin, and nail abnormalities · Updated to reflect current classification of inherited skin disorders and the molecular underpinnings of these conditions

These contributions, written by the foremost international researchers and practitioners of Genetic Programming (GP), explore the synergy between theoretical and empirical results on real-world problems, producing a comprehensive view of the state of the art in GP. Topics include: modularity and scalability; evolvability; human-competitive results; the need for important high-impact GP-solvable problems;; the risks of search stagnation and of cutting off paths to solutions; the need for novelty; empowering GP search with expert knowledge; In addition, GP symbolic regression is thoroughly discussed, addressing such topics as guaranteed reproducibility of SR; validating SR results, measuring and controlling genotypic complexity; controlling phenotypic complexity; identifying, monitoring, and avoiding over-fitting; finding a comprehensive collection of SR benchmarks, comparing SR to machine learning. This text is for all GP explorers. Readers will discover large-scale, real-world applications of GP to a variety of problem domains via in-depth presentations of the latest and most significant results.

The mystery of inheritance has captivated thinkers since antiquity, and the unlocking of this mystery—the development of classical genetics—is one of humanity’s greatest achievements. This great scientific and human drama is the story told fully and for the first time in this book. Acclaimed science writer James Schwartz presents the history of genetics through the eyes of a dozen or so central players, beginning with Charles Darwin and ending with Nobel laureate Hermann J. Muller. In tracing the emerging idea of the gene, Schwartz deconstructs many often-told stories that were meant to reflect glory on the participants and finds that the “official” version of discovery often hides a far more complex and illuminating narrative. The discovery of the structure of DNA and the more recent advances in genome science represent the culmination of one hundred years of concentrated inquiry into the nature of the gene. Schwartz’s multifaceted training as a mathematician, geneticist, and writer enables him to provide a remarkably lucid account of the development of the central ideas about heredity, and at the same time bring to life the brilliant and often eccentric individuals who shaped these ideas. In the spirit of the late Stephen Jay Gould, this book offers a thoroughly engaging story about one of the oldest and most controversial fields of scientific inquiry. It offers readers the background they need to understand the latest findings in genetics and those still to come in the search for the genetic basis of complex diseases and traits.

First published in 1957, this essential classic work bridged the gap between analytical and theoretical biology, thus setting the insights of the former in a context which more sensitively reflects the ambiguities surrounding many of its core concepts and objectives. Specifically, these five essays are concerned with some of the major problems of classical biology: the precise character of biological organisation, the processes which generate it, and the specifics of evolution. With regard to these issues, some thinkers suggest that biological organisms are not merely distinguishable from inanimate ‘things’ in terms of complexity, but are in fact radically different qualitatively: they exemplify some constitutive principle which is not elsewhere manifested. It is the desire to bring such ideas into conformity with our understanding of analytical biology which unifies these essays. They explore the contours of a conceptual framework sufficiently wide to embrace all aspects of living systems.

This landmark scientific reference for scientists, researchers, and students of marine biology tackles the monumental task of taking a complete biodiversity inventory of the Gulf of Mexico with full biotic and biogeographic information. Presenting a comprehensive summary of knowledge of Gulf biota through 2004, the book includes seventy-seven chapters, which list more than fifteen thousand species in thirty-eight phyla or divisions and were written by 138 authors from seventy-one institutions in fourteen countries.This first volume of Gulf of Mexico Origin, Waters, and Biota, a multivolumed set edited by John W. Tunnell Jr., Darryl L. Felder, and Sylvia A. Earle, provides information on each species' habitat, biology, and geographic range, along with full references and a narrative introduction to the group, which opens each chapter.

Part I: Genic analysis in plants; Part II: Bibliography on genic analysis in plants, with brief comments.

This volume covers the 22nd Annual Minnesota Symposia on Child Psychology. The theme of the conference was the use of a systematic approach to the study of development. An analysis of systems theory, its applications to the study of development, its benefits, and its drawbacks are considered. The contributors, among the leaders in this field, discuss the application of systems concepts to the analysis of core issues in areas as diverse as motor and social development.