Download or read book Function Selection and Innateness written by Simon Kirby and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 1999-04-22 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores issues at the core of modern linguistics and cognitive science. Why are all languages similar in some ways and in others utterly different? Why do languages change and change variably? How did the human capacity for language evolve, and how far did it do so as an innate ability? Simon Kirby looks at these questions from a broad perspective, arguing that they can (indeed must) be studied together. The author begins by examining how far the universal properties of language may be explained by examining the way it is used, and how far by the way it is structured. He then considers what insights may be gained by combining functional and formal approaches. In doing so he develops a way of treating language as an adaptive system, in which its communicative and formal roles are both crucial and complementary. In order to test the effectiveness of competing theories and explanations, Simon Kirby develops computational models to show what universals emerge given a particular theory of language use or acquisition. He presents here both the methodology and the results. Function, Selection, and Innateness is important for its argument, its methodology, and its conclusions. It is a powerful demonstration of the value of looking at language as an adaptive system and goes to the heart of current debates on the evolution and nature of language.
Download or read book Molecular Aspects of Innate and Adaptive Immunity written by Kenneth B M Reid and published by Royal Society of Chemistry. This book was released on 2008-09-29 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The understanding, at the molecular level, of the interactions between innate and adaptive arms of the immune system is currently a hot topic, particularly to those interested in immunology - especially susceptibility to infectious diseases. This book provides a survey of topics, in the area of innate and adaptive immunity, which have been researched within the MRC Immunochemistry Unit, at Oxford University, over a period of forty years. The topics include: " antibody structure - for which the first Director of the Immunochemistry Unit, Professor RR Porter, was awarded a Nobel prize in 1972 " the characterization of membrane proteins on lymphoid cells - leading to the concept of these molecules belonging to an immunoglobulin super family " the proteins of the human serum complement system - one of the body's major defences against microbial infection " the human cell -surface integrins and the hyaluronan- binding proteins, which are involved in regulation of inflammation at cell surfaces and within the extracellular matrix " the family of collectin molecules - containing distinct globular carbohydrate -binding domains linked to collagen-like regions - which play important roles in innate immunity in the lungs and bloodstream by immediate recognition and clearance of microbial pathogens Each chapter in the book gives a brief historical background to a topic and then provides a survey of recent advances in the field and are written by internationally recognised renowned experts. The theme running through the chapters is that of protein structure-function relationships - including, amongst others, descriptions of quaternary structures of large oligomeric proteins, of Factor H and C1q binding to specific ligands, and of the chemistry of the mechanism of catalysis of covalent binding of activated C3 and C4 proteins to nucleophilic groups on microbial surfaces. In several chapters excellent descriptions are given with respect to how the immune system can be recruited to combat microbial infection - via proteins of both the innate and adaptive immune systems. The book also includes notable chapters which are excellent examples of the importance of how the isolation, characterisation, protein engineering and crystallisation has resulted in a full understanding of complex protein-protein interactions involved in the recognition and triggering events of important sections of the immune system: -Structure and Function of the C1 Complex - GÚrard J. Arlaud -Chemical Engineering of Therapeutic Antibodies - George T Stevenson -Leukocyte surface proteins - purification and characterisation - A. Neil Barclay -Cell Surface Integrins - Suet-Mien Tan and S.K. Alex Law This book is aimed primarily at established senior research scientists, postdoctoral research scientists and PhD students who have an interest in proteins of the immune system. However, the wide range of immunity system topics, while staying broadly within innate/adaptive immunity will also appeal to a wider audience.
Download or read book Synaptic Self written by Joseph LeDoux and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2003-01-28 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1996 Joseph LeDoux's The Emotional Brain presented a revelatory examination of the biological bases of our emotions and memories. Now, the world-renowned expert on the brain has produced with a groundbreaking work that tells a more profound story: how the little spaces between the neurons—the brain's synapses—are the channels through which we think, act, imagine, feel, and remember. Synapses encode the essence of personality, enabling each of us to function as a distinctive, integrated individual from moment to moment. Exploring the functioning of memory, the synaptic basis of mental illness and drug addiction, and the mechanism of self-awareness, Synaptic Self is a provocative and mind-expanding work that is destined to become a classic.
Download or read book The Innate Mind written by Peter Carruthers and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vol. 3: Concerned with the fundamental architecture of the mind, this text addresses questions about the existence & extent of human innate abilities, how these inate abilities affect the development of the mature mind, & which of them is shared with other species.
Download or read book Philosophy of Biology written by and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2007-02-05 with total page 639 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Philosophy of Biology is a rapidly expanding field. It is concerned with explanatory concepts in evolution, genetics, and ecology. This collection of 25 essays by leading researchers provides an overview of the state of the field. These essays are wholly new; none of them could have been written even ten years ago. They demonstrate how philosophical analysis has been able to contribute to sometimes contested areas of scientific theory making.-Written by internationally acknowledged leaders in the field- Entries make original contributions as well as summarizing state of the art discoveries in the field- Easy to read and understand
Download or read book Innate Lymphoid Cells written by Xiao-Hong Sun and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-05-14 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book aims to systemically summarize the key findings about Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) and present the consensus of current views and prospective. ILCs are a class of newly recognized immune cells which play an instructive role in shaping immunity in physiological and pathological conditions. This book discusses the differentiation of ILC, the relation of ILCs with respiratory function, inflammation in the gut, skin disorders, cancer, neurobiology and microbes. The knowledge included in this book is valuable for both basic immunologists and clinicians in understanding the heterogenetic immune responses in disease and health.
Download or read book The Biology of Language Under a Minimalist Lens Promises Achievements and Limits written by Antonio Benítez-Burraco and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2021-03-30 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Primates Pathogens and Evolution written by Jessica F. Brinkworth and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-08-30 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The immune systems of human and non-human primates have diverged over time, such that some species differ considerably in their susceptibility, symptoms, and survival of particular infectious diseases. Variation in primate immunity is such that major human pathogens - such as immunodeficiency viruses, herpesviruses and malaria-inducing species of Plasmodium - elicit striking differences in immune response between closely related species and within primate populations. These differences in immunity are the outcome of complex evolutionary processes that include interactions between the host, its pathogens and symbiont/commensal organisms. The success of some pathogens in establishing persistent infections in humans and other primates has been determined not just by the molecular evolution of the pathogen and its interactions with the host, but also by the evolution of primate behavior and ecology, microflora, immune factors and the evolution of other biological systems. To explore how interactions between primates and their pathogens have shaped their mutual molecular evolution, Primates, Pathogens and Evolution brings together research that explores comparative primate immune function, the emergence of major and neglected primate diseases, primate-microorganism molecular interactions, and related topics. This book will be of interest to anyone curious as to why infectious diseases manifest differently in humans and their closest relatives. It will be of particular interest to scholars specializing in human and non-human primate evolution, epidemiology and immunology, and disease ecology. Primates, Pathogens and Evolution offers an overview and discussion of current findings on differences in the molecular mechanics of primate immune response, as well as on pathogen-mediated primate evolution and human and non-human primate health.
Download or read book On the Origin and Function of Human NK like CD8 T Cells Charting New Territories written by Fernando A. Arosa and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2018-01-25 with total page 121 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human CD8+ T cells expressing NK receptors and receptors found on innate immune cells, and designated as NK-like or innate CD8+ T cells, have been long considered as terminally differentiated lymphocytes responsible for tissue inflammation and destruction. However, a growing body of knowledge is unveiling that NK-like CD8+ T cells have many, sometimes contrasting, functions. The limited knowledge of the biology of this type of CD8+ T cells and the role they play within peripheral tissues and organs under homeostatic conditions has hampered our understanding of disease and therefore the possible development of disease diagnostic tools and effective immunotherapies. In this Research Topic are presented a variety of topics and views, some of them overlooked for many years, on human NK-like CD8+ T cells, which may open new and novel avenues of research to further our understanding of these polyfunctional T cells.
Download or read book Innate Immunity of Plants Animals and Humans written by Holger Heine and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-12-07 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book has been cunningly designed to provide an overview of our current knowledge about the innate immune systems of these three types of organisms. It not only covers the innate immune mechanisms and responses of such diverse organisms as plants, Cnidaria, Drosophila, urochordates and zebrafish, but also the major receptor systems in mammalians and humans. It delves too into the central defense mechanisms, antimicrobial peptides and the complement system.
Download or read book The Role of Innate Lymphoid Cells in Mucosal Immunity written by Jessica Borger and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2020-08-06 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We acknowledge the initiation and support of this Research Topic by the InternationalUnion of Immunological Societies (IUIS). We hereby state publicly that the IUIS hashad no editorial input in articles included in this Research Topic, thus ensuring that allaspects of this Research Topic are evaluated objectively, unbiased by any specific policyor opinion of the IUIS.
Download or read book The Viral Evasion of Antiviral Innate Immunity written by Chunfu Zheng and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2022-11-01 with total page 820 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Biological Foundations and Origin of Syntax written by Derek Bickerton and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2023-09-19 with total page 491 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Interdisciplinary perspectives on the evolutionary and biological roots of syntax, describing current research on syntax in fields ranging from linguistics to neurology. Syntax is arguably the most human-specific aspect of language. Despite the proto-linguistic capacities of some animals, syntax appears to be the last major evolutionary transition in humans that has some genetic basis. Yet what are the elements to a scenario that can explain such a transition? In this book, experts from linguistics, neurology and neurobiology, cognitive psychology, ecology and evolutionary biology, and computer modeling address this question. Unlike most previous work on the evolution of language, Biological Foundations and Origin of Syntax follows through on a growing consensus among researchers that language can be profitably separated into a number of related and interacting but largely autonomous functions, each of which may have a distinguishable evolutionary history and neurological base. The contributors argue that syntax is such a function.The book describes the current state of research on syntax in different fields, with special emphasis on areas in which the findings of particular disciplines might shed light on problems faced by other disciplines. It defines areas where consensus has been established with regard to the nature, infrastructure, and evolution of the syntax of natural languages; summarizes and evaluates contrasting approaches in areas that remain controversial; and suggests lines for future research to resolve at least some of these disputed issues. Contributors Andrea Baronchelli, Derek Bickerton, Dorothy V. M. Bishop, Denis Bouchard, Robert Boyd, Jens Brauer, Ted Briscoe, David Caplan, Nick Chater, Morten H. Christiansen, Terrence W.Deacon, Francesco d'Errico, Anna Fedor, Julia Fischer, Angela D. Friederici, Tom Givón, Thomas Griffiths, Balázs Gulyás, Peter Hagoort, Austin Hilliard, James R. Hurford, Péter Ittzés, Gerhard Jäger, Herbert Jäger, Edith Kaan, Simon Kirby, Natalia L. Komarova, Tatjana Nazir, Frederick Newmeyer, Kazuo Okanoya, Csaba Plèh, Peter J. Richerson, Luigi Rizzi, Wolf Singer, Mark Steedman, Luc Steels, Szabolcs Számadó, Eörs Szathmáry, Maggie Tallerman, Jochen Triesch, Stephanie Ann White
Download or read book Dimensions of Conscious Experience written by Paavo Pylkkänen and published by John Benjamins Publishing. This book was released on 2001-12-14 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is by now commonly agreed that the proper study of consciousness requires a multidisciplinary approach which focuses on the varieties and dimensions of conscious experience from different angles. This book, which is based on a workshop held at the University of Skövde, Sweden, provides a microcosm of the emerging discipline of consciousness studies and focuses on some important but neglected aspects of consciousness. The book brings together philosophy, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, linguistics, cognitive and computer science, biology, physics, art and the new media. It contains critical studies of subjectivity vs objectivity, nonconceptuality vs conceptuality, language, evolutionary aspects, neural correlates, microphysical level, creativity, visual arts and dreams. It is suitable as a text-book for a third-year undergraduate or a graduate seminar on consciousness studies. (Series A)
Download or read book Innate written by Kevin J. Mitchell and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2020-03-31 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "What makes you the way you are--and what makes each of us different from everyone else? In Innate, leading neuroscientist and popular science blogger Kevin Mitchell traces human diversity and individual differences to their deepest level: in the wiring of our brains. Deftly guiding us through important new research, including his own groundbreaking work, he explains how variations in the way our brains develop before birth strongly influence our psychology and behavior throughout our lives, shaping our personality, intelligence, sexuality, and even the way we perceive the world. We all share a genetic program for making a human brain, and the program for making a brain like yours is specifically encoded in your DNA. But, as Mitchell explains, the way that program plays out is affected by random processes of development that manifest uniquely in each person, even identical twins. The key insight of Innate is that the combination of these developmental and genetic variations creates innate differences in how our brains are wired--differences that impact all aspects of our psychology--and this insight promises to transform the way we see the interplay of nature and nurture. Innate also explores the genetic and neural underpinnings of disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, and epilepsy, and how our understanding of these conditions is being revolutionized. In addition, the book examines the social and ethical implications of these ideas and of new technologies that may soon offer the means to predict or manipulate human traits. Compelling and original, Innate will change the way you think about why and how we are who we are."--Provided by the publisher.
Download or read book Role of CD1 and MR1 restricted T cells in Immunity and Disease written by Kazuya Iwabuchi and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2019-10-18 with total page 429 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: CD1 and MR1 are major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-related proteins that bind and present non-peptide antigens to subsets of T cells with specialized functions. CD1 proteins typically present lipid antigens to CD1-restricted T cells, whereas MR1 presents vitamin B-based ligands and a variety of drugs and drug-like molecules to MR1-restricted T cells. The CD1 family of antigen presenting molecules has been divided into two groups: Group 1 contains CD1a, CD1b and CD1c, and Group 2 contains CD1d. Additionally, CD1e is expressed intracellularly and is involved in the loading of lipid antigens onto Group 1 CD1 proteins. Humans express both Groups 1 and 2 CD1 proteins, whereas mice only express CD1d. Group 1 CD1 proteins present lipid antigens to T cells that generally express diverse T cell receptors (TCRs) and exhibit adaptive-like functions, whereas CD1d presents lipid antigens to subsets of T cells that express either diverse or highly restricted TCRs and exhibit innate-like functions. CD1d-restricted T cells are called natural killer T (NKT) cells, which includes Type I or invariant NKT (iNKT) cells expressing semi-invariant TCRs, and Type II NKT cells expressing more diverse TCRs. CD1-restricted T cells have been implicated in a wide variety of diseases, including cancer, infections, and autoimmune, inflammatory and metabolic diseases. Additionally, NKT cells have been targeted for immunotherapy of disease with ligands such as α-galactosylceramide for iNKT cells, or sulfatide for Type II NKT cells. Like iNKT cells, MR1-restricted T cells express semi-invariant TCRs and display innate-like functions. MR1-restricted T cells, also called mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, have been implicated in immune responses against a variety of pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis C virus and influenza virus. Moreover, these cells contribute to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, lupus, and diabetes.
Download or read book Clinical Linguistics written by Elisabetta Fava and published by John Benjamins Publishing. This book was released on 2002-01-01 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book covers different aspects of speech and language pathology and it offers a fairly comprehensive overview of the complexity and the emerging importance of the field, by identifying and re-examining, from different perspectives, a number of standard assumptions in clinical linguistics and in cognitive sciences. The papers encompass different issues in phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, discussed with respect to deafness, stuttering, child acquisition and impairments, SLI, William's Syndrome deficit, fluent aphasia and agrammatism. The interdisciplinary complexity of the language/cognition interface is also explored by focusing on empirical data from different languages: Bantu, Catalan, Dutch, English, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. The aim of this volume is to stress the growing importance of the theoretical and methodological linguistic tools developed in this area; to bring under scrutiny assumptions taken for granted in recent analyses, which may not be so obvious as they may seem; to investigate how even apparently minimal choices in the description of phenomena may affect the form and complexity of the language/cognition interface.
