Although it is a relatively new approach to biometric knowledge representation, multimodal biometric systems have emerged as an innovative alternative that aids in developing a more reliable and efficient security system. Multimodal Biometrics and Intelligent Image Processing for Security Systems provides an in-depth description of existing and fresh fusion approaches for multimodal biometric systems. Covering relevant topics affecting the security and intelligent industries, this reference will be useful for readers from both academia and industry in the areas of pattern recognition, security, and image processing domains.

This volume is comprised of 18 chapters, covering various aspects of DNA modification and RNA modified bases. It also discusses in detail circular RNA, therapeutic oligonucleotides and their different properties. The chemical nature of DNA, RNA, protein and lipids makes these macromolecules easily modifiable, but they are also susceptible to damage from both endogenous and exogenous agents. Alkylation and oxidation show a potential to disrupt the cellular redox equilibrium and cause cellular damage leading to inflammation and even chronic disease. Furthermore, DNA damage can drive mutagenesis and the resulting DNA sequence changes can induce carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Modified nucleosides can occur as a result of oxidative DNA damage and RNA turnover, and are used as markers for various diseases. To function properly some RNA needs to be chemically modified post-transcriptionally. Dysregulation of the RNA-modification pattern or of the levels of the enzymes that catalyze these modifications alters RNA functionality and can result in complex phenotypes, likely due to defects in protein translation. While modifications are best characterized in noncoding ribonucleic acids like tRNA and rRNA, coding mRNAs have also been found to contain modified nucleosides. This book is a valuable resource, not only for graduate students but also researchers in the fields of molecular medicine and molecular biology.

This book reviews efforts to produce chemicals and fuels from forest and plant products, agricultural residues and more. Algae can potentially capture solar energy and atmospheric CO2; the book details needed research and legislative initiatives.

This book offers an overview of the state of the art in the field of DeNOx catalysis in order to focus novel orientations, new technological developments, from laboratory to industrial scale. A particular attention has been paid towards the implementation of catalytic processes for minimising NOx emissions either from stationary or mobile sources under lean condition to meet future standard regulations of NOx emissions. In the first part of this book, critical aspects reported in the literature which usually make difficult the achievement of efficient catalytic technologies in those conditions are summarised and analysed in order two separate new perspectives. The second part deals with fundamental aspects at molecular level. A better understanding of the reactions involved under unsteady-state conditions is probably a pre-requisite step for improving the performances of the actual processes or developing original ones. The development of powerful in situ spectroscopic techniques is of fundamental interest for kinetic modelling. Correlations between spectroscopic and kinetic data with those obtained from theoretical calculations are reported. Some illustrations emphasise the fact that these comparisons may help in determining the nature of the catalytic active sites and building predictive tools for simulations under running conditions. The latter part of this book will be illustrated by different practical approaches covering various aspects related to the catalysts preparation and the development of alternative technologies which include industrial considerations.
- New technological developments for investigating catalytic reactions in transient conditions (in situ and operando spectroscopic techniques)
- Concerted approaches in DeNOx catalysis
- How academic aspects (kinetic, in situ spectroscopic measurements) can provide useful information for practical applications
- Comparison of different approaches provided by academic and industrial partners

Bone substitute biomaterials are fundamental to the biomedical sector, and have recently benefitted from extensive research and technological advances aimed at minimizing failure rates and reducing the need for further surgery. This book reviews these developments, with a particular focus on the desirable properties for bone substitute materials and their potential to encourage bone repair and regeneration.

Part I covers the principles of bone substitute biomaterials for medical applications. One chapter reviews the quantification of bone mechanics at the whole-bone, micro-scale, and non-scale levels, while others discuss biomineralization, osteoductivization, materials to fill bone defects, and bioresorbable materials. Part II focuses on biomaterials as scaffolds and implants, including multi-functional scaffolds, bioceramics, and titanium-based foams. Finally, Part III reviews further materials with the potential to encourage bone repair and regeneration, including cartilage grafts, chitosan, inorganic polymer composites, and marine organisms.
Provides a detailed and accurate overview of the bone substitute biomaterials, a fundamental part of the biomaterials and biomedical sectorProvides readers with the principles of bone substitute biomaterialsReviews biomaterials for bone regeneration

The selection of the most adequate thermodynamic model in a process simulation is an issue that most process engineers have to face sooner or later. This book, conceived as a practical guide, aims at providing adequate answers by analyzing the questions to be answered. The analysis (first chapter) yields three keys that are further discussed in three different chapters. The fourth chapter illustrates the phase behavior and makes model recommendations for the most significant industrial systems. A decision tree is provided at the end of this chapter. In the last chapter, the key questions are reviewed for a number of typical processes. This book is intended for process engineers who are not specialists in thermodynamics, but are confronted with this kind of problems and need a reference book, as well as process engineering students who will find an original approach to thermodynamics, complementary to traditional lectures.

The existence of life at high temperatures is quiet fascinating. At elevated temperatures, only microorganisms are capable of growth and survival. A variety of microbes survive and grow at such high temperatures. Many thermophilic microbial genera have been isolated from man-made (washing machines, factory effluents, waste streams and acid mine effluents) and natural (volcanic areas, geothermal areas, terrestrial hot springs, submarine hydrothermal vents, geothermally heated oil reserves and oil wells, sun-heated litter and soils/sediments) thermal habitats throughout the world. Both culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches have been employed for understanding the diversity of microbes in hot environments. These organisms not only tolerate such high temperatures but also usually require these for their growth and survival. They are known as thermophiles/thermophilic microbes, which include a wide variety of prokaryotes (Bacteria and Archaea) as well as eukaryotes (Fungi, Algae, Protozoa). Interest in their diversity, ecology, and physiology has increased enormously during the past few decades as indicated by the deliberations in international conferences on extremophiles and thermophiles every alternate year. The Phylogenetic relationship of the known microorganisms indicates the presence of thermophilic microorganisms at the position close to the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA). It is widely accepted that metal-reducing microorganisms have a large impact on the geochemistry of subsurface environments through the cycling of metals and organic matter, and thereby affect water quality and taste. Furthermore, metal-reducing micro-organisms have potential applications in bioremediation, mineral leaching and energy generation processes and are of evolutionary interest as metal reduction is considered to be a very ancient form of respiration. Protein characterization surprisingly indicated that possible additional functionality and alternate site promiscuity could contribute to the diverse biochemical abilities of the bacteria, especially with respect to microbe-metal interactions. Thermophilic bacteria are also able to reduce a wide spectrum of other metals including Mn (IV), Cr (VI), U (VI), Tc (VII), Co (III), Mo (VI), Au (I, III), and Hg (II) which can be used for immobilization of toxic metals/radionuclides, e.g. for the bioremediation of hot waste water of disposal sites of radioactive wastes having temperature range favorable for thermophiles for a long period of time. The main sources of CO in hot environments inhabited by anaerobic thermophiles are volcanic exhalations and thermal degradation of organic matter. A number of phylogenetically diverse anaerobic prokaryotes, both Bacteria and Archaea, are known to metabolize CO. CO transformation may be coupled to methanogenesis, acetogenesis, hydrogenogenesis, sulfate or ferric iron reduction. The key enzyme of anaerobic CO utilization, the Ni-containing CO dehydrogenase, is synthesized in hydrogenogens as an enzyme complex with the energy-converting hydrogenase. The genomic analysis shows this enzymatic complex to be encoded by a single gene cluster. Themophilic moulds and bacteria have been extensively studied in plant biomass bioconversion processes, as sources of industrial enzymes and as gene donors for the heterologous expression of thermostable enzymes. In the development of third generation biofuels such as bioethanol, thermophilic fungal and bacterial enzymes are of particular interest. The entire genomes of several thermophilic bacteria and archaea have already been sequenced. The analysis of the genomic data provided resources for novel and useful proteins and enzymes. The entire genomic data have also provided specific feature of microbes and important information on the evolution of thermophilic microorganisms. In some thermophilic archaea, multiple types of chaperonins have been identified. The chaperonins have been found to change according to the environmental conditions, suggesting that the mechanism for maintaining correct structure of thermostable proteins in the thermophilic archaea is regulated by changing chaperonine molecules. These organisms have evolved several structural and chemical adaptations, which allow them to survive and grow at elevated temperatures. Thermostable enzymes play an important role in the biosynthesis of fine chemicals. They are generally more robust against the conditions of industrial biocatalysis utilized by the industry, which can be solvent based or at elevated temperatures. Many non-natural industrially interesting substrates are often not soluble under aqueous conditions and at ambient temperatures. The thermophilic Archaea are a good source of these enzymes, which have been cloned and over-expressed in Escherichia coli. These include alcohol dehydrogenases for chiral alcohol production, aminoacylases for optically pure amino acids and amino acid analogues, transaminases for chiral amine production and gamma lactamases for chiral gamma lactam building blocks which are subsequently incorporated into carbocyclic nucleotides. Considerable interest has been generated in the mechanism that nature utilizes to increase the stability of enzymes found in thermophilic and hyperthermophilic species. A comparative approach has been used to carry out a detailed study of specific enzymes from a range of organisms in order to understand acquired stability at a structural level. A directed or site-specific mutagenesis approach has been used for stabilizing mesophilic proteins. The specific mutations have been introduced by looking at the most primitive forms of life, which are thought to have evolved in a thermophilic environment. The book is aimed at bringing together scattered up-to-date information on various aspects of thermophiles such as the diversity of thermophiles and viruses of thermophiles, their potential roles in pollution control and bioremediation, composting and microb

Transport phenomena in porous media continues to be a field which attracts intensive research activity. This is primarily due to the fact that it plays an important and practical role in a large variety of diverse scientific applications. "Transport Phenomena in Porous Media II" covers a wide range of the engineering and technological applications, including both stable and unstable flows, heat and mass transfer, porosity, and turbulence.

"Transport Phenomena in Porous Media II" is the second volume in a series emphasising the fundamentals and applications of research in porous media. It contains 16 interrelated chapters of controversial, and in some cases conflicting, research, over a wide range of topics. The first volume of this series, published in 1998, met with a very favourable reception. "Transport Phenomena in Porous Media II" maintains the original concept including a wide and diverse range of topics, whilst providing an up-to-date summary of recent research in the field by its leading practitioners.

Volumes in this widely revered series present comprehensive reviews of drug substances and additional materials, with critical review chapters that summarize information related to the characterization of drug substances and excipients. This organizational structure meets the needs of the pharmaceutical community and allows for the development of a timely vehicle for publishing review materials on this topic.
The scope of the Profiles series encompasses review articles and database compilations that fall within one of the following six broad categories: Physical profiles of drug substances and excipients; Analytical profiles of drug substances and excipients; Drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic profiles of drug substances and excipients; Methodology related to the characterization of drug substances and excipients; Methods of chemical synthesis; and Reviews of the uses and applications for individual drug substances, classes of drug substances, or excipients.

Key features:

* Contributions from leading authorities * Informs and updates on all the latest developments in the field

There is hardly any technical library in the world in which the volumes of the Chemical Formulary (Volumes 1-34) do not occupy a prominent place. Chemists both experienced and beginner, continually refer to them. It does not duplicate any of the formulas included in previous volumes, but lists a wide array of modern and salable products from all branches of the chemical industries. An excellent reference for formulation problems. -CONTENTS - I. Introduction - II. Adhesives - III. Beverages and Foods - IV. Cosmetics - V. Coatings - VI. Detergents and Disinfectants - VII. Drug Products - VIII. Elastomers, Plastics, and Resins - IX. Metals - X. Polishes - XI. Textile Specialties - XII. Miscellaneous - Appendix - Index - PREFACE - Chemistry, as taught in our schools and colleges, concerns chiefly synthesis, analysis, and engineering-and properly so. It is part of the right foundation for the education of the chemist. Many a chemist entering an Industry soon finds that most of the products manufactured by his concern are not synthetic or definite complex compounds, but are mixtures, blends, or highly complex compounds of which he knows little or nothing. The literature in this field, if any, may be meager, scattered, or obsolete. Even chemists with years of experience In one or more Industries spend considerable time and effort in acquainting themselves with any new field which they may enter. Consulting chemists similarly have to solve problems brought to them from industries foreign to them. There was a definite need for an up-to-date compilation of formulae for chemical compounding and treatment. Since the fields to be covered are many and varied, an editorial board of chemists and engineers engaged in many industries was formed. Many publications, laboratories, manufacturing firms, and Individuals have been consulted to obtain the latest and best information. It is felt that the formulas given in this volume will save chemists and allied workers much time and effort. Manufacturers and sellers of chemicals will find, In these formulae, new uses for their products. Non-chemical executives, professional men, and Interested laymen will make through this volume a "speaking acquaintance" with products which they may be using, trying or selling. It often happens that two Individuals using the same Ingredients in the same formula get different results. This may be due to slight deviations in the raw materials or unfamiliarity with the intricacies of a new technique. Accordingly, repeated experiments may be necessary to get the best results. Although many of the formulas given are being used commercially, many have been taken from the literature and may be subject to various errors and omissions. This should be taken into consideration. Wherever possible, it is advisable to consult with other chemists or technical workers regarding commercial production.

Six years after its first edition, "Computed Tomography: Principles, Design, Artifacts, and Recent Advances, Second Edition" provides and updated overview of the evolution of CT, the mathematical and physical aspects of the technology, and the fundamentals of image reconstruction algorithms. Given the high visibility and public awareness of the impact of x-ray radiation, the second edition features a new chapter on x-ray dose and presents different dose reduction techniques ranging from patient handling, optimal data acquisition, image reconstruction, and postprocess. Based on the advancements over the past six years, the second edition includes new sections on cone beam reconstruction algorithms, nonconventional helical acquisition and reconstruction, new reconstruction approaches, and dual-energy CT. Finally, new to this edition is a set of problems for each chapter, providing opportunities to enhance reader comprehension and practice the application of covered material.

"Analysis, Removal, Effects and Risk of Pharmaceuticals in the Water Cycle" provides an overview of the current analytical methods for trace determination of pharmaceuticals in environmental samples. The book also reviews the fate and occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the water cycle for their elimination in wastewater and drinking water treatment, focusing on the newest developments in treatment technologies, such as membrane bioreactors and advanced oxidation processes.

Pharmaceutically active substances are a class of new, so-called emerging contaminants that have raised great concern in recent years. Human and veterinary drugs are continuously being released into the environment mainly as a result of the manufacturing processes, the disposal of unused or expired products, and via excreta. The analytical methodology for the determination of trace pharmaceuticals in complex environmental matrices is still evolving, and the number of methods described in the literature has grown considerably. This volume leads the way, keeping chemistry students, toxicologists, engineers, wastewater managers and related professionals current with developments in this quickly evolving area.
Covers the latest developments in trace determinationsConcise and critical compilation of the recent literature Focuses on new treatment technologies

This book review series presents current trends in modern biotechnology. The aim is to cover all aspects of this interdisciplinary technology where knowledge, methods and expertise are required from chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, chemical engineering and computer science. Volumes are organized topically and provide a comprehensive discussion of developments in the respective field over the past 3-5 years. The series also discusses new discoveries and applications. Special volumes are dedicated to selected topics which focus on new biotechnological products and new processes for their synthesis and purification. In general, special volumes are edited by well-known guest editors. The series editor and publisher will however always be pleased to receive suggestions and supplementary information. Manuscripts are accepted in English.

This expanded and updated edition of the 2007 version introduces readers from various backgrounds to the rapidly growing interface between biology and nanotechnology. It intellectually integrates concepts, applications, and outlooks from these major scientific fields and presents them to readers from diverse backgrounds in a comprehensive and didactic manner.Written by two leading nanobiologists actively involved at the forefront of the field both as researchers and educators, this book takes the reader from the fundamentals of nanobiology to the most advanced applications.The book fulfils a unique niche: to address not only students, but also scientists who are eager (and nowadays obliged) to learn about other state-of-the-art disciplines. The book is written in such a way as to be accessible to biologists, chemists, and physicists with no background in nanotechnology (for example biologists who are interested in inorganic nanostructures or physicists who would like to learn about biological assemblies and applications thereof). It is reader-friendly and will appeal to a wide audience not only in academia but also in the industry and anyone interested in learning more about nanobiotechnology.

As a result of knowledge exchange between the academic and industrial worlds, this book analyzes the process industries impacted by the digital revolution that accompanies the ongoing energy and environmental transitions. Process Industries 2 first discusses bio-industries and analyzes the development of products of microbial origin. It then studies all the stages of industrialization that facilitate the progress from research to the production of a finished product, as well as industrial management techniques. Using concrete examples, this book presents the instruments of the digital revolution (artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, the Internet of Things, digital twins), while analyzing their impact on the supply chain and operators. Boxes within the book, written by recognized specialists, invite both students and professionals, who are faced with a changing world, to reflect on the industry and the world of tomorrow.

Whether the pursuit is commercially motivated or purely academic, engineering a novel biological catalyst is an enticing challenge. High-resolution protein structure analysis allows for rational alteration of enzyme function, yet many useful enzyme variants are the product of well-designed selection schemes or screening strategies. Enzyme Engineering: Methods and Protocols provides guidance to investigators wishing to create enzyme variants with desired properties. This detailed volume covers such topics as a simple method for generating site-specific mutations within bacterial chromosomes. It also highlights the engineering of two difference types of rare-cutting endonucleases that show great potential in gene therapy applications: The newest development is the emergence of TAL effector nucleases or TALENs. Chapters describe newly developed technologies in sufficient detail so that each method can be practiced in a standard molecular biology laboratory. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible Enzyme Engineering: Methods and Protocols will be valuable for scientists with a budding interest in protein engineering as well as veterans looking for new approaches to apply in established discovery programs.

Plants are endowed with innate immune system, which acts as a surveillance system against possible attack by pathogens. Plant innate immune systems have high potential to fight against viral, bacterial, oomycete and fungal pathogens and protect the crop plants against wide range of diseases. However, the innate immune system is a sleeping system in unstressed healthy plants. Fast and strong activation of the plant immune responses aids the host plants to win the war against the pathogens. Plant hormone signaling systems including salicylate (SA), jasmonate (JA), ethylene (ET), abscisic acid (ABA), auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins and brassinosteroids signaling systems play a key role in activation of the sleeping immune systems. Suppression or induction of specific hormone signaling systems may result in disease development or disease resistance. Specific signaling pathway has to be activated to confer resistance against specific pathogen in a particular host. Two forms of induced resistance, systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and induced systemic resistance (ISR), have been recognized based on the induction of specific hormone signaling systems. Specific hormone signaling system determines the outcome of plant-pathogen interactions, culminating in disease development or disease resistance. Susceptibility or resistance against a particular pathogen is determined by the action of the signaling network. The disease outcome is often determined by complex network of interactions among multiple hormone signaling pathways. Manipulation of the complex hormone signaling systems and fine tuning the hormone signaling events would help in management of various crop diseases. The purpose of the book is to critically examine the potential methods to manipulate the multiple plant hormone signaling systems to aid the host plants to win the battle against pathogens.

"Genetically Modified Food Sources" reports detailed results of studies on the medical and biological safety of 14 species of genetically modified plant-derived organisms (GMOs). The authors focus on issues in GMO production and world output, specifically the basic legislative regulations of modern biotechnology in the Russian Federation. Also covered are international approaches to the medical and biological assessment of safety and control of the food produced from genetically modified organisms. A special chapter is devoted to the problem of informational coverage of novel biological technologies.

Previously available only in a 2007 Russian-language edition published by the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, this English translation has been completely revised and updated to include the latest developments in regulations and human and animal safety assessment practices.

The book is addressed to a wide community of specialists working in the fields of food science, plant genetics, and food safety as well as medicine and biology. Students and postgraduates focusing on the problems of modern biotechnology and biological safety will find it a valuable guide to these topics.
Specific assessments of 14 species of genetically modified plant-derived organisms used for food supply

Addresses the safety assessment requirements to ensure consumer health

International coverage provides comparative insights into regulation development and application

This new volume of "Methods in Enzymology" continues the legacy of this premier serial by containing quality chapters authored by leaders in the field. This volume covers methods in protein design and it has chapters on such topics as protein switch engineering by domain insertion, evolution based design of proteins, and computationally designed proteins.
Continues the legacy of this premier serial with quality chapters authored by leaders in the fieldCovers methods in protein designContains chapters with such topics as protein switch engineering by domain insertion, evolution-based design of proteins, and computationally designed proteins

This book introduces fundamental principles and practical application of techniques used in the scalable production of biopharmaceuticals with animal cell cultures. A broad spectrum of subjects relevant to biologics production and manufacturing are reviewed, including the generation of robust cell lines, a survey of functional genomics for a better understanding of cell lines and processes, as well as advances in regulatory compliant upstream and downstream development. The book is an essential reference for all those interested in translational animal cell-based pharmaceutical biotechnology.