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De Duve, C. Blueprint for a cell
The Rockefeller University
Christian de Duve. Blueprint for a cell: the nature and origin of life
In narrative form, the author, winner of the Nobel Prize, delineates the "blueprint" of life - the pattern of chemical events on which all life depends - and demonstrates unity in the diversity of life on earth. De Duve begins by defining the basic characteristics of life (the "blueprint") and explains the fundamental chemical strategies that allow cells to live. Next, he tracks the evolutionary stages in the development of cells, describing his personal view of the very first cell, the precursor to all of life on earth. He then goes back to prebiotic times and traces the chemical and environmental processes that led to the origin of life and, eventually, to the first cell.
De Duve, in his final chapter, rises above scientific detail to explore the philosophical question of whether life happened by chance or necessity. In de Duve's view, given the nature of the universe, no miracles are needed, and no luck either. Life is an intrinsic part of the universe - an inevitable manifestation of the combinatorial properties of matter. As de Duve himself says, "In spite of the advances of biology, many of us continue to be influenced in our thinking by the writings of certain physicists and cosmologists and to view the universe as an 'unfeeling immensity' and life as something separate, not included in the fundamental properties that cause elementary particles to coalesce into atomic nuclei, nuclei to surround themselves with electrons, and atoms and ions to join into a multitude of molecules, crystals, and other structures. This view in the view of the author is wrong, a remnant of vitalism. Life is an intrinsic part of the universe. Wherever and whenever conditions are favorable, as they were here on Earth, and probably were, are, or will be elsewhere, the universe cannot but blossom into life. (From NHBS book review)
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De Duve, C. Life evolving
The Rockefeller University
Christian de Duve. Life Evolving: Molecules, Mind, and Meaning
Life Evolving: Molecules, Mind, and Meaning was written by Christian de Duve to explain to people just how far we have come, why we have accomplished so much, and what directions of research still remain for those interested in pushing the boundaries of the biological sciences even further. The last couple of decades of the 20th century were an exciting time for biology — and as a 1974 Nobel Prize winner, de Duve knows very well what it's been like. The future, however, could be even more interesting.
This book serves as something of a testament both to his life's work and to the progress made in biology. De Duve reviews issues such as the origins of cells and even life itself, the evolution of cells and life, the question of how complexity develops in living organisms, and whether it is necessary to invoke supernatural and religious explanations for life and biology.
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De Duve, C. Vital dust
The Rockefeller University
Christian de Duve. Vital dust: life as a cosmic imperative
Is the emergence of life on Earth the result of a single chance event or combination of lucky accidents, or is it the outcome of biochemical forces woven into the fabric of the universe? And if inevitable, what are these forces, and how do they account not only for the origin of life but also for its evolution toward increasing complexity? Vital Dust is a groundbreaking history of life on Earth, a history that only someone of Christian de Duve’s stature and erudition could have written.
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De Duve. Singularities : landmarks on the pathways of life
The Rockefeller University
Christian de Duve. Singularities: landmarks on the pathways of life
This brief but deep book presents a sophisticated consideration of the key steps or bottlenecks that constrain the path to the origin and evolution of life. Christian de Duve, a pioneer of modern cell biology and Nobel laureate, gives in this book a contemporary response to Erwin Schr¨odinger’s tremendously influential What Is Life? which 60 years ago influenced many of the pioneers of molecular biology. Christian de Duve offers shrewd insights on the conditions that may have first called forth life and surveys the entire history of life, using as landmarks the many remarkable singularities along the way, such as the single ancestry of all living beings, the universal genetic code, and the monophyletic origin of eukaryotes. The book offers a brief guided tour of biochemistry and phylogeny, from the basic molecular building blocks to the origin of humans. Each successive singularity is introduced in a sequence paralleling the hypothetical development of features and conditions on the primitive earth, explaining how and why each transition to greater complexity occurred. --Cambridge University Press
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Dobzhansky, T. Contributions to the genetics, taxonomy, and ecology of Drosophila pseudoobscura and its relatives
The Rockefeller University
Theodosius Dobzhansky, Carl Epling. Contributions to the genetics, taxonomy, and ecology of Drosophila pseudoobscura and its relatives
Series: Carnegie Institution of Washington publication; 554.
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Dobzhansky, T. Evolution
The Rockefeller University
Theodosius Dobzhansky, Francisco J. Ayala, G. Ledyard Stebbins, James W. Valentine. Evolution
This is a textbook in evolution courses, particularly for advanced undergraduates and for graduate students. The book is also intended for a more general reader who wants to know about the spectacular advances that have taken place in evolutionary studies
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Dobzhansky, T. Evolution, genetics, and man
The Rockefeller University
Theodosius Dobzhansky. Evolution, genetics, and man
Evolution, genetics, and man is a textbook addressed to the beginner in genetics as well as to students of anthropology, paleontology, and other disciplines in which genetics is peripheral schedule -wise although vital and basic. With the combination of boldness and good judgment, the author covers the usual subject matter with standard genetics, including the structure of the chromosome, the mechanics of heredity, mutations and mutation rates, gene frequencies, and balanced polymorphism. Homology, analogy, and the blood precipitation tests are covered ( Carlton s. Coon. Human Biology, vol. 28, no. 3 (1956): pp. 376-378).
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Dobzhansky, T. Genetic diversity and human equality
The Rockefeller University
Theodosius Dobzhansky. Genetic diversity and human equality
Series: John Dewey lecture; no. 13
Writing with clarity and authority, one of the world’s foremost geneticists, Theodosius Dobzhansky, cuts through the great mass of confusion to lay bare the scientific facts and their relevance – and frequent irrelevance – to the moral issues in the current debate about the social consequences of heredity.
What in fact is the extent of human genetic diversity? Theodosius Dobzhansky’s particular and definitive response to this important question fully displays the result of the research conducted over his long and distinguished career.
The scientific precision and moral clarity of this book illuminate a controversial issue in a way that offers expert guidance for scientists, policy-makers, and – most importantly – for the concerned citizen.
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Dobzhansky, T. Genetics and the origin of species
The Rockefeller University
Theodosius Dobzhansky. Genetics and the origin of species
3d ed., rev
Genetics and the Origin of Species is a 1937 book by the Ukrainian-American evolutionary biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky. It is regarded as one of the most important works of the modern synthesis and was one of the earliest. The book popularized the work of population genetics to other biologists and influenced their appreciation for the genetic basis of evolution. In his book, Dobzhansky applied the theoretical work of Sewall Wright (1889-1988) to the study of natural populations, allowing him to address evolutionary problems in a novel way during his time. Dobzhansky implements theories of mutation, natural selection, and speciation throughout his book to explain the habits of populations and the resulting effects on their genetic behavior. The book explains evolution in depth as a process over time that accounts for the diversity of all life on Earth. The study of evolution was present but greatly neglected at the time. Dobzhansky illustrates that evolution regarding the origin and nature of species during this time in history was deemed mysterious, but had expanding the potential for progress to be made in its field.
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Dobzhansky, T. Heredity and the nature of man
The Rockefeller University
Theodosius Dobzhansky. Heredity and the Nature of Man
After a very clear and concise introduction to the basic facts of genetics, the book deals with topics which are of importance to the physical, mental, and social well-being of man: the heredity-environment problem, the nature of race, the genetic load of man, genetic radiation hazards, the evolutionary history and future of man.
The author is well aware of the deep ethical questions which are involved if one applies scientific knowledge to man. The emphasis given to the moral implications of the questions discussed is the most striking characteristic of the book.
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Dobzhansky, T. Human culture : a moment in evolution
The Rockefeller University
Theodosius Dobzhansky, Ernest Boesiger. Human culture: a moment in evolution
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Dobzhansky, T. Man and the biological revolution
The Rockefeller University
Theodosius Dobzhansky, Robert Haynes. Man and the biological revolution
Series: Frank Gerstein lectures; 1973-74
Haynes, R.H. What is the biological revolution?--Dobzhansky, T. Living with biological evolution.--Sperry, R.W. Changing concepts of mind.--DeBakey, M. Social ramifications of recent advances in surgery.--Boulding, K.E. Societal implications A man's increasing impact on the natural environment.
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Dobzhansky, T. The biological basis of human freedom
The Rockefeller University
Theodosius Dobzhansky. The biological basis of human freedom
Dr. Dobzhansky interprets the philosophical implications of modern biological science for all who are interested in the nature of man. He shows that cultural evolution, unique to man, has set man apart by the development of his brain and his adaptiveness to environment. The only man has been able to achieve judgment of good and evil. The only man has been able to make an ethical choice, and for a choice of conduct, not only knowledge but also freedom is essential.The book illustrates and makes clear how and why the highest illumination achieved by science, participating in the humanistic tradition in thought, is seen to affirm man’s unique dignity in the scheme of life.
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Dole, M. The radiation chemistry of macromolecules
The Rockefeller University
Malcolm Dole/editor. The radiation chemistry of macromolecules
The Radiation Chemistry of Macromolecules is the first from a two-volume series aiming to contribute to the radiation chemistry in general. The chapters in this volume are divided into two major parts, where the first part deals with the basic processes and theory, while the second part tackles experimental techniques and applications to polyethylene. Part I focuses on the discussion on general principles of radiation effects; fundamental concepts on energy transfer; and the theory of free radicals. The subject of polymers is discussed thoroughly in several chapters including its molecular mobilities and electrical conductivity. Part II presents experimental techniques and a description of the radiation chemistry of a single polymer. This part also includes a discussion on the morphology of polyethylene and free radicals in irradiated polyethylene. This book is an important reference to students and scientists in the field of radiation chemistry of macromolecules.
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Dubos, R. Bacterial and mycotic infections of man
The Rockefeller University
René J. Dubos/editor. Bacterial and mycotic infections of man
This is the first edition of a textbook on bacteriology for use in medical schools and by practitioners. Subjects discussed include: the disease-causing properties of bacteria, applied medical bacteriology, and principles of chemotherapy and epidemiology (AIBS Bulletin, vol.3 (1) 1953: p. 12) -
Dubos, R. Beast or angel
The Rockefeller University
René J. Dubos. Beast or angel? Choices that make us human
A microbiologist inquires into the origins of human needs and desires and shows that the existential expressions of man's genetic nature are not constant:
Conveying French into English -- Stability and adaptability of humankind: Old world and new world -- The saga of the human species -- The races of man -- Biological Freudianism -- Social adaptations -- Choosing to be human: The bestiality of the human species -- The humanness of the human species -- Individualism and collectivity -- Humanity and the beast -- The past in the present: The cave and the horizon -- Cities old and new -- The clan and the stranger -- Life in the city -- Crowds and machines -- Hauts Lieux and monuments -- At home on Earth: Yesterday's future shock -- The camp and the open road -- Ulysses and the American frontier -- Technologic Utopia -- The incarnations of humankind -- Revolutions and resurrection -- On the pleasures of being human: The diversity of human life -- Pluralism and the world order -- Adventure and fantasy -- Joie de Vivre and happiness.
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Dubos, R. Biochemical determinants of microbial diseases
The Rockefeller University
René J. Dubos. Biochemical determinants of microbial diseases
Series: Harvard University monographs in medicine and public health; no. 13
Dubos has succeeded admirably in blending in organic fashion results of widely scattered biochemical, physical and immunologic studies.
The subjects of cytology of bacteria and their physicochemical and staining properties, cellular structure, variability, virulence, immunization treated in separate chapters. The concluding chapter, on trends and perspectives, is stimulating in its philosophical vein.
Wisely selected quotations at the beginning of each chapter introduce a broad contemplative element and add much to the readability. There are seventy-one pages of bibliography.
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Dubos, R. Louis Pasteur, free lance of science
The Rockefeller University
René J. Dubos. Louis Pasteur, free lance of science
In the words of one of his English contemporaries, Louis Pasteur was”the most perfect man who ever entered the kingdom of science.” His contributions to the development of microbiology and medicine were profound, both practically (Pasteurization and vaccination) and theoretically (the germ model of disease). He spoke out forcefully on issues of the day, especially when they concerned public health, and his research included studies on rabies, anaerobic life, childbirth fever, silkworms, and beer. René Dubos’s outstanding biography examines Pasteur’s manifold genius in the context of the era—Pasteur was an exemplary nineteenth-century bourgeois—and in light of recent environmental thought. His view of Pasteur as an ecologist, the first to formulate in concrete terms a biological and chemical theory of global ecosystems, is only one of the many surprising insights into a man whose emblematic fame has obscured a complex and rich life.
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Dubos, R. Man adapting
The Rockefeller University
René J. Dubos. Man adapting
"The dominant theme of the present book,” in Professor Dubos’ own words, “is that the states of health or disease are the expression of the success or failure experienced by the organism in its efforts to respond adaptively to environmental challenges.”
René Dubos illustrates his thesis with examples from many fields of research. He also emphasizes certain aspects of his current interest, the microbiota of the digestive tract, because it provides strikingly clear models of the relationship between man and his physiochemical and biological environment. Tables and figures supplement the text.
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Dubos, R. Man, medicine, and environment
The Rockefeller University
René J. Dubos. Man, medicine, and environment
Series: Britannica perspective
In clear, non-technical language, Dr. Dubos analyzes the complex interrelationships that govern man’s life today and the effects of environmental factors on the health of both primitive and modern men. “All manifestations of the human disease are the consequences of the interplay between body, mind, and environment,” he says, surveying past and present biomedical control of human life and the possibilities of improving it in the future. “Medicine was, at the beginning of civilization, the mother of science,” he writes.
“The continued growth of technological civilization, indeed, its very survival, requires an enlargement of our understanding of man’s nature,” Dr. Dubos writes. To that enlargement Man, medicine, and environment makes a cogent and stimulation contribution.
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Dubos, R. Of human diversity
The Rockefeller University
René J. Dubos. Of human diversity
Series: Heinz Werner lectures; 1974
In this volume, taken from the Werner Lectures, Rene Dubos – who is well-known bacteriologist – examines a particularly modern concern, “individualism,” as it applies to nations and individual men, and to the development of personality. In his comments on personal individuality and will, Rene Dubos analyzes the factors that shape human life for the individual: the innate genetic code of the species, the specific environment, and the uniquely human power of “creative adaptation”.
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Dubos, R. Pasteur and modern science
The Rockefeller University
René J. Dubos. Pasteur and modern science
Series: Scientific revolutionaries
Pasteur's stunning career has attracted a host of biographies, but this book, written by a distinguished French-born microbiologist, is among the best. Dubos displays a deep appreciation for the power and enduring significance of Pasteur's scientific work. His graceful writing style allows him to convey the excitement and significance of even the most technical aspects of Pasteur's work. Now, updated to the present day by the distinguished microbiologist Thomas D. Brock, the book also has a foreword by Pasteur scholar Gerald L.Geison that places it in historical context. For high school and college students, as well as the general reader, this is the ideal introduction to the life of Louis Pasteur.
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Dubos. R. Quest, reflections on medicine, science and humanity
The Rockefeller University
René J. Dubos, Jean-Paul Escande.Quest, reflections on medicine, science, and humanity
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