This week books

Stem Cell Research and Cloning

The debates presented in Point/Counterpoint are among the most interesting and controversial in contemporary American society,but studying them is more than an academic activity.They affect every citizen; they are the issues that today’s leaders debate and tomorrow’s will decide. The reader may one day play a central role in resolving them. Why study both sides of the debate? It’s possible that the reader will not yet have formed any opinion at all on the subject of this volume but this is unlikely. It is more likely that the reader will already hold an opinion, probably a strong one,and very probably one formed without full exposure to the arguments of the other side. It is rare to hear an argument presented in a balanced way, and it is easy to form an opinion on too little information; these books will help to fill in the informational gaps that can never be avoided. More important, though, is the practical function of the series: Skillful argumentation requires a thorough knowledge of bothsides though there are seldom only two, and only by knowing what an opponent is likely to assert can one form an articulate response.

Exciting work in the past decade has revealed commonalities and differences among individual cell fusion events. In Cell Fusion: Overviews and Methods, a team of leading experts provide a collection of overviews that outline our current understanding of cell fusion and methods that present classic and state-of-the-art experimental approaches in a variety of systems. Divided into two convenient parts, the volume begins with nine overviews which describe different cell fusion events in models from yeast to mammals, and it continues with thirteen chapters illustrating commonly used methods to assay cell fusion in particular systems. As a part of the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series, these methods chapters compile step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols with lists of the necessary materials and reagents, along with tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and user-friendly, Cell Fusion: Overviews and Methods serves as a comprehensive resource for anyone, expert or novice, interested in the fascinating biological process of cell fusion.

Over the past few years, DNA methylation technologies and our knowledge of DNA methylation patterns have been advancing at a breathtaking pace. Due to this fact, DNA Methylation: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition completely revises, updates, and expands upon the popular first edition with the most current novel techniques, easier to use and more refined by the tested experience of leading experts. This revision reflects contemporary study of the subject: the analysis of gene-specific DNA methylation patterns has been complemented by genome-wide approaches, and epigenomics takes a central place. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, the chapters in this volume present brief introductions to the topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes which highlight tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, DNA Methylation: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition is the perfect resource for scientists who wish to further our understanding of the molecular processes that determine the genomic DNA methylation landscape and for those who aim to identify and implement DNA methylation-based biomarkers for clinical and diagnostic applications.

This book is tailored for students and professionals as well as novices from other fields to mass spectrometry. It will guide them from the basics to the successful application of mass spectrometry in their daily research. Starting from the very principles of gas-phase ion chemistry and isotopic properties, it leads through the design of mass analyzers and ionization methods in use to mass spectral interpretation and coupling techniques. Step by step the readers will learn how mass spectrometry works and what it can do as a powerful tool in their hands. The book comprises a balanced mixture of practice-oriented information and theoretical background. The clear layout, a wealth of high-quality figures and a database of exercises and solutions, accessible via the publisher’s web site, support teaching and learning.

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