Selenium plays a significant role in preventing certain types of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The level of Selenium in the human body depends on its concentration in food. In turn, the content in vegetable crops is a function of the soil-plant system. There are many countries in the world with low Selenium content in the soil. The average daily human intake is thus limited through food chain. Analysis of Selenium status suggests that fortification of the soil substrate with Sodium Selenate, and foliar application to agricultural crops are both effective means of Selenium enrichment. Our intention for this publication is to present the possibilities of augmenting Selenium content by biofortification of soils and plants through differentiated nutrition. In the first part of the monograph, the results of Selenium supplementation in model vegetation experiments are presented. The next part of the monograph presents the results of foliar supplementation of Selenium in field conditions. This book is an outstanding reference source for plant breeders and researchers engaged in biofortification of horticulture crops. It is also beneficial to agricultural companies and other stakeholders.

This title highlights the current and topical areas of research in this rapidly growing field. Expert authors from around the world provide the latest insights into the mechanisms these fascinating organisms use to survive.

This book aims to structure, in a complete and sequential way, the mainstream technical knowledge which is related to eutrophication control. The book considers the development of innovative technologies for phosphate removal, while supporting the restoration of currently degraded lakes and reservoir systems. In addition, this book contains key-aspects of future benchmark interests being specially framed under the ongoing development of a circular economy. In particular, the book will contribute to a better understanding of the problem of internal P-loads and P-sources disposition towards a more effective control of nutrients' enrichment in lakes. The chemical routes and environmental fate of such lake nutrients will be viewed in the light of innovative technologies (engineering dimensions) and circular economy perspectives (economics dimensions). The main theme extends to an economic appreciation of environmental polluted aquifers. The book will appeal to an interdisciplinary audience, covering a wide spectrum of scientific fields, such as environment, physical chemistry, surface chemistry, interfacial phenomena, coastal engineering, bio-engineering, environmental policy makers, and economists.

This book provides a comprehensive account of past, present and future of the biomass based biorefineries. It is an all-inclusive and insightful compilation of recent advancements in the technology and methods used for conversion of biomass to bioenergy and other useful biochemicals. The book also focuses on the limitations of existing technologies and provides the future prospects, as well as discusses socio-economic impact of biomass based biorefineries. This book assists researchers in the area of lignocellulosic biorefineries and can be used by the students, scientist and academician as an advanced reference textbook.

This book delves into the field of immobilizing biologically active and non-active molecules. It discusses the designing strategy of immobilization and the current state-of-the-art applications for advancing biomedical, agricultural, environmental and industrial practices. It focuses on aspects ranging from fundamental principles to current technological advances at multi-scale levels (macro, micro, and nano) which are suitable for cell, enzyme, and nano-catalyst based applications. Written by experts from across the globe, the contents deal with illustrated examples of molecular and cellular interactions with materials/scaffolds and discussions on factors that can affect the functionality and yield of the process. With its discussions on material science, design of delivery vehicles, separation science, additive manufacturing, agriculture and environmental science, this book will be a useful reference for researchers across multiple disciplines.

Extensively revised and updated, the new edition of this valuable reference work provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the current knowledge and new research in Bacillus molecular and cellular biology.

This book addresses emerging questions concerning who should bear responsibility for shouldering risk, as well as the viability of existing and experimental governance mechanisms in connection with new technologies. Scholars from 14 jurisdictions unite their efforts in this edited collection to provide a comparative analysis of how various legal systems are tackling the challenges produced by the legal aspects of genetic testing in insurance and employment. They cover the diverse set of norms that surround this issue, and share insights into relevant international, regional and national incursions into the field. By doing so, the authors offer a basis for comparative reflection, including on whether transnational standard setting might be useful or necessary for the legal aspects of genetic testing as they relate to the insurance and employment contexts. The respective texts cover a broad range of topics, including the prevalence of genetic testing in the contexts of insurance and employment, and policy factors that might affect this prevalence, such as the design of national health or social insurance systems, of private insurance schemes or the availability of low-cost direct-to-consumer genetic testing. Further, the field of genetics is gaining in importance at the international and regional levels. Relevant concepts - mainly genetic tests and genetic data/information - have been internationally defined, and these definitions have influenced definitions adopted nationally. International law also recognizes a "special status" for human genetic data. The authors therefore also consider these definitions and the recognition of the special status of human genetic data within regional and national legal orders. They investigate the range of norms that specifically address the use of genetic testing in employment and insurance, encompassing international sources - including human rights norms - that may be binding or non-binding, as well national statutory, regulatory and soft-law mechanisms. Accordingly, some of the texts examine general frameworks relevant to genetic testing in each country, including those that stem from general anti-discrimination rules and norms protecting rights to autonomy, self-determination, confidentiality and privacy. In closing, the authors provide an overview of the efficiency of their respective legal regimes' approaches - specific and generalist - to genetic testing or disclosure of genetic information in the employment or insurance contexts, including the effect of lack of legal guidance. In this regard, some of the authors highlight the need for transnational action in the field and make recommendation for future legal developments.

Investigation on biobased nanomaterials has provided new insights into the rapidly advancing fields of the biomedical and environmental sciences by showing how these nanomaterials are effective in biomedicine and environmental remediation. These particles hold tremendous prospective applications, and are likely to become the next generation of particles in these areas. As such, research is ongoing and the data generated should have the potential for a sustainable future in both the environmental and biomedical fields. This book presents important findings on the role of and identification of novel applications of biobased nanomaterials. Unlike other books in this field, this book focuses entirely on sustainable application and remediation in biomedicine and environmental science. The chapters are written in such a way as to make them accessible to the reader, and furthermore, the volume can be readily adopted as a reference, or used as a guide for further research. This project was based on recent research (the last 5 years) and developed through an extensive literature search. The editors have also compiled some advanced, outstanding texts that should be of benefit to graduate students in their research.

This book covers basic aspects of different nanoparticles, including type of materials, lipid, polymeric and inorganic structures, synthesis strategies, as well as the main physicochemical characterization techniques. Moreover, this book addresses applications for both treatment and diagnosis of diseases, highlighting in vitro and in vivo findings and clinical evaluation. The chapters highlight the main barriers for drug delivery which can benefit from nanoencapsulation: the topical and oral routes. The main innovations in the field, such as gene therapy and functionalization of nanoparticles with a variety of moieties, including monoclonal antibodies for selective delivery, are discussed and illustrated with examples. Finally, the application of nanoparticles for drug delivery to cancer is reviewed considering toxicology and regulatory aspects.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on the fate and interaction of pharmaceuticals in soil-crop systems. It addresses the principles of their transport, uptake and metabolism and reviews methodologies for their analytical determination. It also discusses ecotoxicological effects arising from their presence and highlights bioremediation approaches for their removal. The use of treated wastewater to irrigate crops is becoming more widespread in regions where freshwater is limited. This practice conserves freshwater resources and contributes to nutrient recycling. However, concerns remain regarding the safety of irrigation with treated wastewater since it contains residues of pharmaceuticals that have survived treatment, which means that soil and fauna are potentially exposed to these xenobiotics. Various pathways govern the fate of pharmaceuticals in crop-soil systems, including soil degradation; formation of non-extractable residues; uptake by soil-dwelling organisms (e.g. earthworms); and uptake, transport, and metabolism in agricultural crops. Investigations into these aspects have only recently been initiated, and there is still a long way to go before a meaningful assessment of the impact of wastewater has been completed.

Phyto-pathogens are one of the dominating components which badly affect crop production. In light of the global food demand, sustainable agricultural plans utilizing agrochemicals became necessary. The role of beneficial microbes in the defense priming of host plants has been well documented. This book details new aspects of microbial-assisted plant protection and their role in agricultural production, economy, and environmental sustainability.

This book provides in-depth coverage on the latest concepts, systems, and technologies that are being utilized in biorefineries for the production of biofuels and value-added commodities. Written by internationally recognized experts, the book provides a comprehensive overview of pretreatment technology for biorefineries and biofuels, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation technology for biofuel production, and lignin valorization for developing new products from waste lignin. The book will be a valuable resource for researchers and professionals working in process engineering, product engineering, material science, and systems and synthetic biology in the fields of biorefining, biofuel, biomaterials, environmental waste utilization, and biotechnology.

This textbook is clearly structured with fourteen richly illustrated chapters and practical examples for easy understanding and direct implementation. The methods and findings developed in the authors' group are presented in detailed, revised chapters. Readers will find valuable updates on the molecular basis of biotechnological processes, secondary metabolite production and genetic engineering. In addition, the basic principles of important biotechnologies, as well as examples of specially designed crops that deliver improved productivity under stress conditions, are presented. This second edition sets the direction for future research on the basic aspects of plant tissue culture and its applications in the fields of secondary metabolite production and genetic engineering. It provides both general and specific information for students, teachers, academic researchers and industrial teams who are interested in new developments in plant tissue culture and its applications.

This book presents abiotic stresses that cause crop damage in the range of 6-20%. Understanding the interaction of crop plants to the abiotic stresses caused by heat, cold, drought, flooding, submergence, salinity, acidity, etc., is important to develop resistant crop varieties. Knowledge on the advanced genetic and genomic crop improvement strategies including molecular breeding, transgenics, genomic-assisted breeding, and the recently emerging genome editing for developing resistant varieties in cereal crops is imperative for addressing FPNEE (food, health, nutrition, energy, and environment) security. Whole genome sequencing of these crops followed by genotyping-by-sequencing has facilitated precise information about the genes conferring resistance useful for gene discovery, allele mining, and shuttle breeding which in turn opened up the scope for 'designing' crop genomes with resistance to abiotic stresses. The nine chapters each dedicated to a cereal crop in this volume are deliberate on different types of abiotic stresses and their effects on and interaction with crop plants; enumerate on the available genetic diversity with regard to abiotic stress resistance among available cultivars; illuminate on the potential gene pools for utilization in interspecific gene transfer; are brief on the classical genetics of stress resistance and traditional breeding for transferring them to their cultivated counterparts; elucidate on the success stories of genetic engineering for developing abiotic stress-resistant crop varieties; discuss on molecular mapping of genes and QTLs underlying stress resistance and their marker-assisted introgression into elite varieties; enunciate on different emerging genomics-aided techniques including genomic selection, allele mining, gene discovery, and gene pyramiding for developing adaptive crop varieties with higher quantity and quality, and also elaborate some case studies on genome editing focusing on specific genes for generating abiotic stress-resistant crops.

This book provides an in-depth description and discussion of different multi-modal diagnostic techniques for cancer detection and treatment using exact optical methods, their comparison, and combination. Coverage includes detailed descriptions of modern state of design for novel methods of optical non-invasive cancer diagnostics; multi-modal methods for earlier cancer diagnostic enhancing the probability of effective cancer treatment; modern clinical trials with novel methods of clinical cancer diagnostics; medical and technical aspects of clinical cancer diagnostics, and long-term monitoring. Biomedical engineers, cancer researchers, and scientists will find the book to be an invaluable resource. Introduces optical imaging strategies; Focuses on multimodal optical diagnostics as a fundamental approach; Discusses novel methods of optical non-invasive cancer diagnostics.

This book gathers the main international research findings on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as emerging contaminants in water. It focuses on the major routes of exposure, and the destinations and life cycles of NSAIDs in water, as well as the manifestations of toxicity in different organisms. It also reviews the methods used in the detection, analysis and quantification of NSAIDs in water as well as the biological and chemical methods of removing them. Lastly, the book offers an overview of the legal frameworks in place and provides conclusions and recommendations for the future. Given its scope, the book is an indispensable resource for scientists in academia and industry, as well as for decision-makers involved in contamination assessment and environmental analysis and NGOs interested in the problem of water contamination by NSAIDs.

"Perovskite-Based Solar Cells: From Fundamentals to Tandem Devices" gives fundamental understanding of perovskite solar cells from the chemical composition of each thin layer composing the different stacks to the whole device. Special attention has been given to the development of the materials forming the perovskite solar cell and their effect on the device performance, in addition to the recent progress of this emerging technology. Moreover, light has been shed on the perovskite elaboration techniques, in addition to the several techniques proposed to improve both the efficiency and the stability of perovskite solar cells. Furthermore, special emphasis was given to the three types of tandem solar cells and their recent advances starting from Perovskite/perovskite tandem solar cells to Perovskite/ CIGS tandem cells to perovskite/ heterojunction silicon tandem solar cells. The latter constitute a promising solution to improve photovoltaic solar cells performance.