Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe four important mechanoreceptors in human skinDescribe the topographical distribution of somatosensory receptors between glabrous and hairy skinExplain why the perception of pain is subjective

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Going in for surgery? It’s possible the level of pain you’ll experience during recovery is encoded in your DNA. This conclusion draws from the work of an international collaboration of researchers. By looking at the outcomes of over 1000 patients, they pinpointed factors linked to ongoing postsurgical pain. They found that one important determinant is the code of a single gene – the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, gene – opening new avenues for how we understand, and treat, chronic pain. Nearly all surgical patients experience some degree of postoperative pain, but it’s usually resolved as they heal. For many, however, it can last for months or even years – a condition referred to as chronic postsurgical pain. Although some elements that lead to this condition are known – nerve injury during surgery, for example, is one common cause – there’s often no easily identifiable culprit. Enter genetics..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"It may be surprising to learn that drugs like morphine can actually make it harder to heal from injuries, including surgery. Researchers report that using opioids to manage this type of acute pain can make the pain last longer, potentially drawing out the need for pain relief. Although it’s unclear exactly why this happens, scientists are beginning to uncover some of the physiological causes of this delayed healing. And they think it has something to do with the brain’s immune system. That conclusion comes from an in-depth look at how morphine affects recovery in mice. Using a mouse model of orthopedic surgery, researchers looked at the consequences of postoperative morphine use. Mice were subjected to tibial fracture and repair and given a 7-day course of either morphine or an inactive vehicle. Some mice underwent a sham operation – they were anesthetized and received skin incisions, but no bone fracture – followed by the same treatment regimen..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Psychology is designed to meet scope and sequence requirements for the single-semester introduction to psychology course. The book offers a comprehensive treatment of core concepts, grounded in both classic studies and current and emerging research. The text also includes coverage of the DSM-5 in examinations of psychological disorders. Psychology incorporates discussions that reflect the diversity within the discipline, as well as the diversity of cultures and communities across the globe.Senior Contributing AuthorsRose M. Spielman, Formerly of Quinnipiac UniversityContributing AuthorsKathryn Dumper, Bainbridge State CollegeWilliam Jenkins, Mercer UniversityArlene Lacombe, Saint Joseph's UniversityMarilyn Lovett, Livingstone CollegeMarion Perlmutter, University of Michigan

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the basic functions of the chemical sensesExplain the basic functions of the somatosensory, nociceptive, and thermoceptive sensory systemsDescribe the basic functions of the vestibular, proprioceptive, and kinesthetic sensory systems

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"People with depression are more likely to have chronic pain, and people with chronic pain are more likely to be depressed. Those with depression also often report feeling more intense pain, which can lead to a vicious cycle that’s hard to break. Scientists, unfortunately, don’t have a good understanding of why this happens. But in a new Anesthesiology paper, researchers from China detail a brain circuit in mice that begins to explain this phenomenon -- and suggests potential treatments. The team used optogenetics and chemogenetics along with tracing methods to map out neuronal circuits when mice became depressed. In one set of key experiments, mice were restrained in a small tube for 6 hours a day. After 3 weeks of chronic restraint stress, mice began to look depressed. They ate less, showed decreased mobility during a swimming test, and displayed greater sensitivity to noxious stimuli..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.