This text is a resource for academics and students who want to develop collaborative learning environments. Dr. Hassan cites recent progress in bioinformatics databases that gives a hands-on, in-depth understanding that goes beyond rote memorization.

Students interested in acquiring a working knowledge of the fundamentals of bioinformatics can easily become overwhelmed by the vast abundance of information on the subject.

Bioinformatics: Principles and Basic Internet Applications has been specially designed to provide a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the field of bioinformatics.

This brief, practical, tightly organized text shows you how to perform the biological applications. It is the only guide you need for bioinformatics every time.

---

Using common every-day examples, this book explains human and other animal nature and behaviour in terms of a four-component brain/mind theory. It describes how all animals from reptiles to humans possess similar primitive core brain structures that control vital bodily functions and behavioural drives. Thirteen such drives are identified across species. A simple theory is expounded to explain how sensory residues enter the cerebral cortex, and how regurgitation of these sensory residues into short-term memory is what we refer to as mental-imaging - the basis of all thought, conversation, planning and expectations, and the trigger for emotional feedback and feelings. A step-by-step process is used to define and establish that there is such a thing as a self-image which is every bit as important to us as our physical bodies. The ability to build sequences of scenarios in our minds represents higher thinking or rationalising. It partly uses this understanding to make sense of civilisation as the inevitable result of these primitive drives, and why there are rules forcing us to modify those drives. It describes how a social milieu of confusion, deception and double standards has developed as a corollary of the restrictions of civilisation. It makes sense out of the apparent paradox of love and hate, the confusion over freedom and rights, the roles of nature and nurture in personality, why we do not all have identical personalities, why it is difficult to change our firm beliefs, what is reality, and what is the "truth". A few everyday examples show how we can use this understanding of our psychosocial surroundings to help us with problems.

Cryogenic Freezing Manual is a useful tool to the plant engineer or plant manager who is studying the cryogenic freezing process to either run the in plant Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) freezers or is in the process of acquiring such equipment. Enough theory is included to understand how cryogenic freezing functions and how it differs from conventional Ammonia or Freon freezing.

The Junipers of the World contains a synthesis of data on evolution by examining: Geographic Variation: Pan-Arctic variation in Juniperus communis, etc. Speciation in sections of the genus: Species concepts, Speciation in Juniperus section Juniperus, etc. In addition, Keys to Juniperus are provided by region: Eastern Hemisphere, Europe (including Azores, Canary Islands, Asia Minor and Africa), Central Asia (Turkmenistan to western Himalayas), China, Far East (Japan, Korea, Sakhalin Island, Taiwan), Western Hemisphere, Continental North America, United States and Canada, Mexico and Guatemala, and the Caribbean. Also included are Species' Descriptions, Distribution Maps and Plant Photos, and chapters on Hybridization, Ecology, Cultivated Junipers, Commercial uses of leaf and wood oils of Juniperus, a Cross Indexed Synonymy of Juniperus, and Tables on the Leaf essential oils by species in sections. This book supplements the web site www.juniperus.org and the reader will find literature citations and a detailed discussion of data that is not present on the web site. "The Junipers of the World is now the authoritative reference for Juniperus" "Prof. Adams has presented arguments for the recognition of species and varieties by showing the data analyses that led to taxonomic decisions. This is one of the few treatments that really integrates data and the reasoning behind taxonomic decisions. In addition, Prof. Adams is candid in admitting that the recognition of some taxa are not well supported and deserve additional study." "An essential reference book that will be useful for herbaria, museums, wildlife biologists, Range scientist, foresters, ecologists and all who are involved in identification and study of Juniperus species."

Boundaries of Evolution describes the unlikelihood of evolutionary theory to explain how it is supposed to scale three major biological cliffs. The first cliff is the need for a logical explanation of how random chemical reactions could produce the first living cell from the primordial soup. The second is the problem of explaining how the first single-celled eukaryote evolved from a prokaryote. Mathematical improbabilities of evolutionary theory to scale the first two cliffs, in the time available, are demonstrated. The third insurmountable cliff is the necessity for a reasonable explanation of how millions of different kinds of multi-celled eukaryotes could have quickly evolved from single-celled eukaryotes.

Random mutations occurring in DNA, accepted or rejected by natural selection, are hailed as the source of advancement for the increase in biotic complexity. The most common time for mutations to occur in the DNA is during replication. Therefore, evolutionary advancement should occur faster in biota with the most frequent replication cycles. If both evolutionary theory and the fossil record are correct, prokaryotes, which replicate in as little as 20 minutes took 2 billion years to evolve the first single-celled eukaryote. Single-celled eukaryotes, generally having shorter reproductive times than multi-celled eukaryotes, took another billion years to evolve the first multi-celled eukaryote. Then during Cambrian times, the multi-celled eukaryotes with the longest reproductive cycles literally exploded in diversity in a comparatively short time. How could this be? Other inadequacies of Darwin's theory are presented for everyone to see.

Boundaries of Evolution describes the unlikelihood of evolutionary theory to explain how it is supposed to scale three major biological cliffs. The first cliff is the need for a logical explanation of how random chemical reactions could produce the first living cell from the primordial soup. The second is the problem of explaining how the first single-celled eukaryote evolved from a prokaryote. Mathematical improbabilities of evolutionary theory to scale the first two cliffs, in the time available, are demonstrated. The third insurmountable cliff is the necessity for a reasonable explanation of how millions of different kinds of multi-celled eukaryotes could have quickly evolved from single-celled eukaryotes.

Random mutations occurring in DNA, accepted or rejected by natural selection, are hailed as the source of advancement for the increase in biotic complexity. The most common time for mutations to occur in the DNA is during replication. Therefore, evolutionary advancement should occur faster in biota with the most frequent replication cycles. If both evolutionary theory and the fossil record are correct, prokaryotes, which replicate in as little as 20 minutes took 2 billion years to evolve the first single-celled eukaryote. Single-celled eukaryotes, generally having shorter reproductive times than multi-celled eukaryotes, took another billion years to evolve the first multi-celled eukaryote. Then during Cambrian times, the multi-celled eukaryotes with the longest reproductive cycles literally exploded in diversity in a comparatively short time. How could this be? Other inadequacies of Darwin's theory are presented for everyone to see.

Cryogenic Freezing Manual is a useful tool to the plant engineer or plant manager who is studying the cryogenic freezing process to either run the in plant Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) freezers or is in the process of acquiring such equipment. Enough theory is included to understand how cryogenic freezing functions and how it differs from conventional Ammonia or Freon freezing.

Cryogenic Freezing Manual is a useful tool to the plant engineer or plant manager who is studying the cryogenic freezing process to either run the in plant Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) freezers or is in the process of acquiring such equipment. Enough theory is included to understand how cryogenic freezing functions and how it differs from conventional Ammonia or Freon freezing.

Using common every-day examples, this book explains human and other animal nature and behaviour in terms of a four-component brain/mind theory. It describes how all animals from reptiles to humans possess similar primitive core brain structures that control vital bodily functions and behavioural drives. Thirteen such drives are identified across species. A simple theory is expounded to explain how sensory residues enter the cerebral cortex, and how regurgitation of these sensory residues into short-term memory is what we refer to as mental-imaging - the basis of all thought, conversation, planning and expectations, and the trigger for emotional feedback and feelings. A step-by-step process is used to define and establish that there is such a thing as a self-image which is every bit as important to us as our physical bodies. The ability to build sequences of scenarios in our minds represents higher thinking or rationalising. It partly uses this understanding to make sense of civilisation as the inevitable result of these primitive drives, and why there are rules forcing us to modify those drives. It describes how a social milieu of confusion, deception and double standards has developed as a corollary of the restrictions of civilisation. It makes sense out of the apparent paradox of love and hate, the confusion over freedom and rights, the roles of nature and nurture in personality, why we do not all have identical personalities, why it is difficult to change our firm beliefs, what is reality, and what is the "truth". A few everyday examples show how we can use this understanding of our psychosocial surroundings to help us with problems.

Butterflies of the North Olympic Peninsula is a black and white illustrated identification guide covering the area of land in the most northwestern part of Washington State. Illustrations include adult, chrysalis, caterpillar and egg forms. Identification includes a written description of the adult, caterpillar, chrysalis and egg. Also included are habitat, flight time, behavior, and adult and caterpillar food sources.

Notes on some butterflies include particularly good places to see them or particular behavior. Also noted are those butterflies which are endemic to the Olympic Peninsula.

The area covered has the least number of butterfly species in the continental United States. A great deal of the land has been developed, further limiting the numbers of butterflies found. However, the Olympic National Park covers a large interior portion of the peninsula and is a pristine environment in which to observe and identify the local butterflies.

This book will be a good addition to a hiker's backpack, natural gardener's identification guides or anyone enjoying the natural beauty of the area and wanting to learn more about it.

In 1968 John B. Calhoun, American behavioral ecologist, introduced eight mice into a technologically designed walled enclosure that fulfilled all the wants and needs of mice except migration in and out. Over a 4½ year period the population exploded into a colony of 2200 mice, and then slowly and inexorably declined to extinction. Deprived of motherly love early in life, and denied access to social roles later in life, young mice grew up without knowing how to behave as mice. This book examines whether a similar fate could be in store for Human Utopia.

Part I compares the suicidal effects of runaway growth in Mouse Utopia to a similar sequence of events in Human Utopia. Part II describes our dependence on the Biosphere. Part III shows how the runaway growth of technology and population is creating havoc in our species and the Biosphere. How an inner life-force symbolized as "the Sorcerer" causes populations to self-destruct by satisfying internal desires beyond their useful times. As the Sorcerer's apprentices, we have been preparing the ground for a crisis of crises beyond human control. Part IV describes how the Sorcerer works and how to control his destructive traits. Political, spiritual and behavioral opportunities are identified that could be overlooked, misinterpreted or ignored in steering a course toward coevolution of humanity and the Biosphere.

Victor J. Crapnell: "Interesting, yes; and scary!"

Johnny Biosphere: "This book is remedial reading fom some ecologists, most employees of enviornmental protection agencies, and most forward looking businessmen and politicians."

Economist Tom Muir interviews ecologist J.R. Vallentyne on "Tragedy in Mouse Utopia: The Sorcerer Lurks Within" 2006. Trafford Publishing, 2333 Government St. Victoria BC, V8T 4P4, Canada.

Muir: Dr. Vallentyne, you claim that the global course of "Human Utopia" since the 14th century has been following the 4½ year march to extinction of a mouse colony provided with everything that mice could want. You seem to dismiss the "magic of the marketplace". What about human innovation and invention? Men are not mice!

Vallentyne: My comparison is not between men and mice. It is between the behavior of mice and humans when both are driven to excesses by a runaway cycle of growth of technology and population. The marketplace accelerates the runaway cycle by feeding human desires rather than limiting human growth.

Muir: Yet another global treatise on this subject in addition to Malthus, The Club of Rome, and Global 2000??? Don't you think the public and political reaction will be to shrug and move on?

Vallentyne: Possibly, but I have added three new dimensions to the discussion: (1) a runaway cycle of intertwined growth of technology and population, jointly; (2) a change of context from an era of "upward causation" in which exponential growth is normal, to an era of "downward causation" in which continued growth is suicidal; and (3) the psychological-behavioral nature of the problem in both mice and humans. Malthus, it seems, is not yet entirely dead.

Muir: What makes you think that we may be on the brink of globally disastrous feedback from the Biosphere? I do not think that you are even close to evaluating the influence of different time scales in your analysis.

Vallentyne: Look around. Biospheric feedback is here now and increasing! Differences in time scales create the problem!

Muir: What do you have to say to the eternal optimist and the resigned pessimist?

Vallentyne: Nothing. Realists and pragmatists are needed.

Muir: If destruction takes place in 500 to 1000 years, who cares?

Vallentyne: Nobody - except humanitarians, environmentalists, most women and all children.

Muir: Does our global technological society have to crash? Isn't it possible that human society will ignore your work?

Vallentyne: My book poses these questions, but does not presume to answer them. My aim has been to identify contexts and probabilities that shape the answers.

Muir: You describe "a Sorcerer within" as a mastermind of the cravings behind The Seven Deadly Sins. Isn't that just a little bit far-fetched?

Vallentyne: Not at all. The notion of the Sorcerer has more in common with our perceptions of reality than science or psychology can ever convey. naming the mastermind of the cravings could be key to controlling the Sins.

Muir: Given the inability of individuals to overcome the inertia and change the direction of politicians, how can you possibly conclude that our only real hope lies in faith?

Vallentyne: Faith is not unique to religion. It is inherent in the nature of life. As Dostoyevsky noted in The Brothers Karamazov: To a realist, faith does not arise form miracles; miracles arise from faith.

Muir: Has Calhoun's experiment ever been repeated?

Vallentyne: Yes, it is being repeated right now; in Human Utopia!! For an update on Human Utopia, read Scott Wooding's insightful book The Parenting Crisis.

Muir: What is the bottom line of your book? What is the take-away message?

Vallentyne: At a personal level: Do unto the ecosystems that you share with others as you would have others do unto the ecosystems they share with you. Politically: Put the concept of the Biosphere (or Ecosphere, if you prefer) into the charter of the United Nations.

Growing up as a Humboldt penguin is a formal affair. The soft gray feather suits the penguins are born with give way to beautiful black and white tuxedoes. Through watchful eyes, baby Humboldts learn the proper way to hunt and swim from their parents.

Children will enjoy following these penguins from the time their babies hatch until it's time for all the kids to go off on their own. Humboldt Tails will introduce beginning readers to chapter books, and it contains beautiful artwork to help children follow along with the Humboldt penguin family.

Proceeds from this exciting children's book will benefit Humboldt penguin conservation efforts supported by the Penguin Taxon Advisory Group. For more information about the Penguin Taxon Advisory Group, visit http://www.penguintag.org.

---

How do coral reefs get built, how and what destroys them? Of what importance are reefs to humans? Does man's activities on earth have anything to do with the condition of our oceans? What is Biodiversity and is it important to life on earth? This and so much more is the emphasis of this book. Answers to what we as people can do to sustain life in the ocean and on earth are revealed. The author writes about the cultures and history he encounters, people he talks to in a pull no punch, humorous style where you live the experiences as they happen and learn the marine science from your reading. There is fun and hazard in diving and sailing the Pacific from Alaska to south New Zealand doing research for 30 years on the conditions of the Pacific that affect your life.

What people are saying about The Invisible Sea and Obscure Cultures:

This book has been most helpful and interesting in opening my eyes to life under the sea as it tells in detail how this ecosystem affects and sustains the world we live in. The book describes how the various cultures impact the animal life of the sea and how these cultures that compete for space and places to grow must depend on the ocean.

Also it shows how critically important it is that humans learn to co-exist with and nourish sea life and try to slow down the degradation that is now occurring.

The underwater photography of sea life as well as the photos of the islands are spectacular.

Bob Fielder,
La Jolla, California

---

This text is a resource for academics and students who want to develop collaborative learning environments. Dr. Hassan cites recent progress in bioinformatics databases that gives a hands-on, in-depth understanding that goes beyond rote memorization.

Students interested in acquiring a working knowledge of the fundamentals of bioinformatics can easily become overwhelmed by the vast abundance of information on the subject.

Bioinformatics: Principles and Basic Internet Applications has been specially designed to provide a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the field of bioinformatics.

This brief, practical, tightly organized text shows you how to perform the biological applications. It is the only guide you need for bioinformatics every time.

---

BIOLOGICAL VISION has a dual character. It is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the operation of the visual system of any animal (including humans) while simultaneously providing a guide to the larger work, PROCESSES IN BIOLOGICAL VISION. The latter work is currently available in draft form on the World Wide Web. The larger work provides a more comprehensive analysis of each subject addressed in BIOLOGICAL VISION. It also provides an extensive list of references in support of it.

BIOLOGICAL VISION contains nine chapters. The first chapter begins with a phylogenic tree of the animal kingdom based on vision. The last ends with a series of figures defining the overall performance of the human visual system. Contrary to superficial statements in the recent literature, it shows that animals have enjoyed color vision for at least the last 500 years, long before the arrival of man. It also shows that biological vision is characteristically tetrachromatic; it involves four separate and distinct spectral detection channels. The work takes a major step forward in showing that the human retina is also tetrachromatic, although the overall performance of the human visual system is partially blocked by the absorption of the lens system. The resulting human visual system is best described as a blocked tetrachromat.

Chapter Two addresses the three fundamental forms of eyes found in the animal kingdom. It shows the frequently defined dichotomies within the animal kingdom are inappropriate when discussing vision. The families of Arthropoda, Mollusca and Chordata exhibit unique visual features that justify the use of a trichotometric approach when discussing the phylogeny of vision.

Chapter Three presents the overall architecture and signaling schematics found in animal vision. It defines the previously unrecognized role of the thalamus and other elements of the diencephalon in vision. It shows why the "primary visual cortex" does not play the primary role long envisioned in the literature. The primary role in the vision of the higher chordates is shown to be played by the thalamus. The thalamus is key to the ability of humans to analyze fine detail and to read. For the first time, the crucial role of the thalamic reticular nucleus in controlling the overall operation of the sensory systems of the organism is described. The chapter defines the multiple signaling modes involved in sensing and responding to the environment. These include the awareness, analytical, alarm and volition modes.

Chapter Four focuses on the operation of the neuron in its various forms required to support the overall operation of the neural system. The internal electrolytic operation of the neuron is presented for the first time. This presentation includes the description of its signal amplifying mechanism based on the Activa. The Activa is the electrolytic liquid-crystalline semiconductor equivalent of the man-made transistor. The Activa being a three-terminal device results in a major redefinition of the fundamental morphological and physiological characteristics of the neuron. It is demonstrated that, while the neuron is the fundamental morphological element of the neural system, it is not the fundamental electrophysiological element.

Chapters Five, Six and Seven focus on the unique characteristics, and close integration, of the photoreceptor cells, their associated retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells and the inter-photoreceptor-matrix (IPM) between the two cell types.

Chapter Five is devoted to describing the unique characteristics and operation of the photoreceptor cell from a multitude of perspectives. Like other sensory cells, it is shown to exhibit a neuro-secretory nature. In common with tactile sensory cells, it secretes a protein substance, opsin, used to produce the disks associated with it. Unlike, the tactile cells, the photoreceptor cells sense energy absorbed by the chromophores of vision rather than the energy due to bending of the individual hairs associated with the cells. The chromophores of vision are shown to originate in the RPE cells rather than, as previously thought, the photoreceptor cells themselves.

Chapter Six reviews the photochemistry of biological vision and shows there are four (not three) chromophores associated with vision. The formation of these four chemical species within the RPE cells, and their delivery via the IPM, is examined in detail.

Chapter Seven explores the morphogenesis of the chordate eye, with its reversed retina. It then explores the physical (cytological) dynamics of the photoreceptor cells. It shows that the so-called cones of vision are in fact immature or nonfunctional photoreceptor cells. This leads to the demonstration that all photoreceptor cells are morphologically rod-shaped and physically identical. They differ only in the type of chromophore used to coat their individual disk stacks.

Chapter Eight addresses a variety of features of the visual system architecture not widely appreciated. A top level schematic of the entire visual system is provided along with a top-level functional diagram. These two diagrams support the computational anatomy employed to simplify the mathematical calculations required in the neural system. It is shown that computational anatomy frees the neural system from the need to perform transcendental arithmetic. Finally, the unique two-dimensional associative correlator employed within the perigeniculate nucleus/pulvinar couple to extract features associated with the imaged scene is presented. This couple is key to the abilities of higher chordates, to interpret fine detail (and in the case of homo sapiens, to read).

Chapter Nine culminates in a summary of the performance achievable in human vision. The focus is on the five major performance characteristics. First, the transient response of the detection process. Second, the overall spectral performance (luminous efficiency function)of the visual system. Third, the chromatic (color rendition) capabilities of the system. Fourth, the dynamic sensitivity control (adaptation) capability of the system and the associated phenomenon of color constancy. And fifth, the temporal and spatial contrast performance of the system.

For the first time, the complete photoexcitation/de-excitation mechanism and equation of visual sensing are described. It shows the equation, proposed by Hodgkin during the 1960's as part of a piecewise solution, is actually a special case of the general mathematical solution. The special case of the long wavelength spectral channel is also developed. It is shown why the spectral performance of the visual system in the long wavelength region is lost as the scene illumination is reduced. For the first time, a cogent description of the transition from hypertopic, through photopic and mesotopic to scotopic vision is presented. Using the schematics presented earlier, the chapter provides a physiologically based Chromaticity Diagram for the first time. This three-dimensional diagram is shown to be conformal over the entire spectral range of the tetrachromatic eye. A two-dimensional simplification of this Chromaticity Diagram is presented that is adequate (with caveats) for most studies in human vision. This diagram leads directly to the definition of a unique color set sought by the vision community for many years. When transformed into the coordinate system of the CIE (1935) Chromaticity Diagram, the non-conformality and general limitations of that presentation are highlighted. The new Diagram also leads to a theoretically precise three-dimensional lightness-chrominance space for the first time.

A brief section is presented on the mechanisms of perception and cognition. References are provided to the broader discussion in the larger work, PROCESSES IN BIOLOGICAL VISION.