Investigating Human Diseases with the Microbiome: Metagenomics Bench to Bedside is a summary of underlying principles for human health and disease studies from a microbiome point-of-view. From birth to old age, microbiomes in fecal, oral/nasal, vaginal, and skin samples contain important information that can predict disease risks in the future. Tissue samples also contain microbes that are relevant for diseases. The microbiome connects genetic and environmental factors and is poised to greatly facilitate precision medicine, including prevention, diagnosis and effective treatment of many complex diseases. Based in traditional microbiology and adding a more wholistic view of the advent of high-throughput sequencing, this reference poses the key questions of the total number of microbial cells and their distribution in the human body while also considering concepts from macroecology and from causal reasoning. An entire chapter is dedicated to methods, providing hands-on information for important considerations when collecting samples for metagenomic studies.

Debulking in Cardiovascular Interventions and Revascularization Strategies: Between a Rock and the Heart aims to provide a comprehensive overview on the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of resistant lesions as well as tailored debulking processes in revascularization strategies. Cardiovascular interventionalists and surgeons alike frequently encounter technical challenges and increased risk when attempting to diagnose and treat resistant cardiovascular lesions, bio-tissues and vessels. Calcified plaques, fibrotic or thrombotic lesions, total occlusions, degenerative plaques, complex lesions and vessels impose morphologic obstacles to the safe and effective delivery and deployment of balloons and stents. In such instances, a debulking strategy involving the actual drilling and extraction of the targeted plaque/bio-tissue constitutes a unique option that ensures safe and efficacious subsequent balloon dilatations and stenting. A range of topics is included in the book, from the characteristics and constituents of various resistant targets and bio-tissues, to the corresponding options of debulking methods, and finally the technologic and pharmacologic means available for application. The book also provides an up-to-date description of related management solutions and tools, exploring the medical issues pertaining to the patients with these targets; procedural results and clinical outcomes as related to debulking strategies and associated diagnostic and therapeutic technology and revascularization options.

With Cholesterol, Drs. Anna Bukiya and Alex Dopico have compiled a comprehensive resource on biological and clinical aspects of cholesterol, spanning biophysics and biochemistry, as well as the latest pharmacological discoveries employed to tackle disorders associated with abnormal cholesterol levels. Early chapters on basic biology offer guidance in cholesterol lab chemistry, cholesterol metabolism and synthesis, molecular evolution of cholesterol and sterols, cholesterol peptides, and cholesterol modulation. Chapters on cellular and organismal development discuss cholesterol transport in blood, lipoproteins, and cholesterol metabolism; cholesterol detection in the blood; cellular cholesterol levels; hypercholesterolemia; and the role of cholesterol in early human development. Pathophysical specialists consider familial hypobetalipoproteinemia, critical illness and cholesterol levels, coronary artery disease, CESD, cholesterol and viral pathology, cholesterol and neurodegenerative disorders, and cholesterol and substance use disorders. A final section examines pharmacology of drug delivery systems targeting cholesterol related disorders, cholesterol receptors, cholesterol reduction, statins, citrate lyase, cyclodextrins, and clinical management. Cholesterol: From Biophysics and Biochemistry to Pathology and Pharmacology empowers researchers, students, and clinicians across various disciplines to advance new cholesterol-based studies, improve clinical management, and drive drug discovery.

Analytical Techniques in Biosciences: From Basics to Applications presents comprehensive and up-to-date information on the various analytical techniques obtainable in bioscience research laboratories across the world. This book contains chapters that discuss the basic bioanalytical protocols and sample preparation guidelines. Commonly encountered analytical techniques, their working principles, and applications were presented. Techniques, considered in this book, include centrifugation techniques, electrophoretic techniques, chromatography, titrimetry, spectrometry, and hyphenated techniques. Subsequent chapters emphasize molecular weight determination and electroanalytical techniques, biosensors, and enzyme assay protocols. Other chapters detail microbial techniques, statistical methods, computational modeling, and immunology and immunochemistry. The book draws from experts from key institutions around the globe, who have simplified the chapters in a way that will be useful to early-stage researchers as well as advanced scientists. It is also carefully structured and integrated sequentially to aid flow, consistency, and continuity. This is a must-have reference for graduate students and researchers in the field of biosciences.

Biocontrol Mechanisms of Endophytic Microorganisms introduces endophytic microorganisms, colonization, diversity and distribution, describes the isolation and identification of endophytic microorganisms by traditional cultivation and by next generation sequencing technologies, and covers biocontrol mechanisms, bacterial priming, endophytic based methods, the significance on fungi, and metabolite based formulations. The book concludes with chapters on biofilms, microbiota and safety issues of microorganisms. The intensive use of chemicals to control these plant pathogens has resulted in negative consequences such as the release of toxic chemicals in the environment, reduced soil fertility and human health problems. Therefore, environmentally-friendly and sustainable replacement of chemical fertilizers or pesticides is highly challenging.

Encyclopedia of Respiratory Medicine, Second Edition, Six Volume Set explores the key processes of lung diseases and their diagnosis and management. The book dissects the molecular and cellular biology, physiology and immunology that underpin normal lung function, along with the aberrations that occur in respiratory diseases, from common disorders such as asthma and COPD to rarer lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung diseases and pulmonary hypertension. Written in at a time when the globe is in the grip of respiratory pandemic, lung disease has never been so prominent in the public and political conscious. This new edition will provide new researchers in respiratory medicine with a solid foundation in unfamiliar topics and will update more experienced researchers seeking to step outside their core areas of research to put their work into a broader context.

Human Biochemistry, Second Edition provides a comprehensive, pragmatic introduction to biochemistry as it relates to human development and disease. Here, Gerald Litwack, award-wining researcher and longtime teacher, discusses the biochemical aspects of organ systems and tissue, cells, proteins, enzymes, insulins and sugars, lipids, nucleic acids, amino acids, polypeptides, steroids, and vitamins and nutrition, among other topics. Fully updated to address recent advances, the new edition features fresh discussions on hypothalamic releasing hormones, DNA editing with CRISPR, new functions of cellular prions, plant-based diet and nutrition, and much more. Grounded in problem-driven learning, this new edition features clinical case studies, applications, chapter summaries, and review-based questions that translate basic biochemistry into clinical practice, thus empowering active clinicians, students and researchers.

Encyclopedia of Biological Chemistry, Six Volume Set has always been characterized by its unique and comprehensive content. Since publication of the 2nd edition, many important discoveries have been made leading to novel concepts in several areas of biochemistry, and new technologies have advanced our understanding of key processes of life. All of these advances are included in the new and expanded third edition. With its 6 volumes, this is the most up-to-date and complete resource on biochemistry and molecular biology, provided through contributions by leading experts in the field.

Handbook of Hormones: Comparative Endocrinology for Basic and Clinical Research, Second Edition presents a catalog of fundamental information on the structure and function of hormones from basic biology to clinical use, offering a rapid way to obtain specific facts about the chemical and molecular characteristics of hormones, their receptors, signaling pathways, and the biological activities they regulate. The book's stellar editorial board, affiliated with the Japan Society for Comparative Endocrinology, brings together authors that present a compelling structure of each hormone with a consistent presentation that provides a primer surrounding the plethora of hormones that now exist. Comparative endocrinology continues to rapidly expand and new information about hormones is being produced almost daily, making it important to stay up-to-date. Hormone, paracrine, and autocrine factors have been identified as key players in a range of different systems, including immune, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular. Frontiers between disciplines are being blurred and many scientists in fields other than endocrinology are interested in hormones. Scientists now have the unprecedented opportunity to look from invertebrates to vertebrate and identify novel regulatory factors and understand their function and how they determine an organism's physiology and survival.

Phytoremediation: Biotechnological Strategies for Promoting Invigorating Environs focuses on phytoremediation's history, present and future potential, discussing mechanisms of remediation, different types of pollutant and polluted environs, cell signaling, biotechnology, and molecular biology, including site-directed DNA and the omics related to plant sciences. Sections focus on phytoremediation as an economically feasible and environmentally safe strategy, including its mechanisms from macroscopic to microscopic level, strategies of assisted phytoremediation, the role of omics on innovations on the field, the development of genetically modified plants (GMPs) to deal with pollutants, the future prospects of targeted genetic engineering in phytoremediation and remediation advantages and disadvantages. Other sections in the book explore the phytoremediation of specific environs (water and soil) and specific contaminants that are of major worldwide concern.

Plant nutrients are the vital elements essential for plant growth and survival, with key roles in adapting to challenging environments. Each nutrient, whether required in relatively large (macronutrients) or minute concentrations (micronutrients) plays a unique role in plant life cycle. Both the insufficient and surplus concentrations of these nutrients may render negative impacts on plant growth and development and therefore their homeostasis is considered critical for optimal plant growth and yield. Plant Nutrition and Food Security in the Era of Climate Change comprehensively reviews all critical plant nutrients. Chapters include topics such as: biological roles, uptake and transport of vital nutrients in plants; an in-depth review of the roles of potassium, calcium, magnesium and trace element; molecular breeding approaches for enhanced plant nutrients; and exploring the rhizosphere microbiome for enhance nutrient availability. Written by leading experts in the field of plant biology, this is an essential read for researchers and scientists interested in plant science, agronomy, food security and environmental science.

Behavioral Neuroscience is a relatively recent discipline which unifies different fields encompassing Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Science, Clinical Neurology, Neuroanatomy, and Neurophysiology. Encyclopedia of Behavioral Neuroscience, Three Volume Set is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary work written by the best experts in the field, addressing the relationship between the neurological and biological basis of behavior and models of cognition, spanning from perception to memory and covering phenomena that occur in human and other animals. Published in 2010, it comprised 212 articles and was a unique and essential resource for students and professionals in several fields including neuroscience, psychology, neurology, psychiatry, and cognitive science. It was by far the most comprehensive reference work available addressing the advances in all the field of behavioral neuroscience. It does however, now need revising with the latest science. The new edition will again cover the relationship between brain and behavior, both in humans and other animals, as well as mental and brain disorders. This new edition spans accross three volumes, 250 chapters and approximately 2000 pages. It will build on the foundations of the first edition by thoroughly updating all current articles with the latest research that has developed in the last decade. In addition, 40 brand new articles on the hottest topics within behavioral neuroscience will be added, covering areas such as advances in behavioral genetics and epigenetics, cognitive ageing, neuroepidemiology, social neuroscience, as well as the upsurge of new technologies like diffusion tensor imaging or transcranial direct current stimulation. The result will be an all-encompassing one-stop interdisciplinary major reference work on how the brain and its disorders influence behavior, perfect for neuroscience students, clinicians and scientists interested in knowing more about behavior from a biological perspective.

Dairy science includes the study of milk and milk-derived food products, examining the biological, chemical, physical, and microbiological aspects of milk itself, as well as the technological (processing) aspects of the transformation of milk into its various consumer products, including beverages, fermented products, concentrated and dried products, butter and ice cream. This encyclopedia includes information on the possible impact of genetic modification of dairy animals, safety concerns of raw milk and raw milk products, peptides in milk, dairy-based allergies, packaging and shelf-life and other topics of importance and interest to those in dairy research and industry. The Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences, Five Volume Set is the only work available that covers in detail the entirety of dairy science, from husbandry of dairy animals, milk production, through the processing of milk into a myriad of dairy products and ingredients, to the effect of dairy foods on human health. The third edition of Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences will retain the split that characterized the earlier editions - one-third primary production, two-thirds dairy food. Unlike earlier editions, in which articles were arranged in alphabetical order by topic, this edition will be optimally organized into 9 coherent sections. This new edition contains 500 articles, the vast majority of which has been significantly revised or is completely new. Only 40 chapters have been retained from the earlier edition as they cover basic science areas still relevant and important today. All articles have been reviewed by specialists in their area.

The detection and measurement of the dynamic regulation and interactions of cells and proteins within the living cell are critical to the understanding of cellular biology and pathophysiology. The multidisciplinary field of molecular imaging of living subjects continues to expand with dramatic advances in chemistry, molecular biology, therapeutics, engineering, medical physics and biomedical applications. Molecular Imaging: Principles and Practice, Volumes 1 and 2, Second Edition provides the first point of entry for physicians, scientists, and practitioners. This authoritative reference book provides a comprehensible overview along with in-depth presentation of molecular imaging concepts, technologies and applications making it the foremost source for both established and new investigators, collaborators, students and anyone interested in this exciting and important field.

Scientific Perspectives of Tea Plant Horticulture and Productivity is a complete, step-by-step guide on how to maximize tea plant growth, yield and quality. Chapters focus on the methods of cultivation, soil and water management, plant physiology, plant protection and weed control, problems from pollution and climate change, and eco-friendly remedial actions. This is an essential read for plant biologists and tea horticulturalists as the tea industry is struggling due to high production costs, changing climates and diminishing plant yields, with countries in Asia declaring the industry at 'crisis point.' Horticulturalists need solutions to problems with plant productivity, quality, stress management and eco-friendly cultivation practices. There have been several technological advances in the field and horticulturalists need guidance on how best to implement new technologies, hence the importance of this new resource.

Microbial Management of Plant Stresses: Current Trends, Application and Challenges explores plant microbiota including isolated microbial communities that have been used to study the functional capacities, ecological structure and dynamics of the plant-microbe interaction with focus on agricultural crops. Presenting multiple examples and evidence of the potential genetic flexibility of microbial systems to counteract the climate induced stresses associated with their host as a part of indigenous system, this book presents strategies and approaches for improvement of microbiome. As climate changes have altered the global carbon cycling and ecological dynamics, the regular and periodic occurrences of severe salinity, drought, and heat stresses across the different regimes of the agro-ecological zones have put additional constraints on agricultural ecosystem to produce efficient foods and other derived products for rapidly growing world population through low cost and sustainable technology. Furthermore chemical amendments, agricultural inputs and other innovative technologies although may have fast results with fruitful effects for enhancing crop productivity but also have other ecological drawbacks and environmental issues and offer limited use opportunities. Microbial formulations and/or microbial consortia deploying two or multiple partners have been frequently used for mitigation of various stresses, however, field success is often variable and improvement Smart, knowledge-driven selection of microorganisms is needed as well as the use of suitable delivery approaches and formulations. Microbial Management of Plant Stresses: Current Trends, Application and Challenges presents the functional potential of plant microbiota to address current challenges in crop production addressing this urgent need to bring microbial innovations into practice.

The Inductive Brain in Development and Evolution provides readers with a substantial biological education on animal nervous systems and their role in the development, adaptation, homeostasis, and evolution of species. The book begins by delving into the embryonic development of the brain and then discusses epigenetic information and neural activity post-birth. It then analyzes the inductive brain's neural and brain control of such factors like myogenesis, bone development, sensory organs, metamorphosis in vertebrates and invertebrates, and wing development in insects. The book closes with an examination of phenotypic evolution in neural control, mechanisms, and drivers of animal brains. The Inductive Brain in Development and Evolution will offer evolutionary biologists, specifically those researching development, adaptation, and evolution of animals, a comprehensive text that covers a variety of valuable topics.

Weeds are the main biological constraint to crop production throughout the year. Uncontrolled weeds could cause 100% yield loss. In Australia, the overall cost of weeds to Australian grain growers was estimated at AU$ 3.3 billion annually. In terms of yield losses, weeds amounted to 2.7 million tonnes of grains at a national level. In the USA, weeds cost US$ 33 billion in lost crop production annually. In India, these costs were estimated to be much higher (US$ 11 billion). These studies from different economies suggest that weeds cause substantial yield and economic loss. Biology and Management of Problematic Weed Species details the biology of key weed species, providing vital information on seed germination and production, as well as factors affecting weed growth. These species include Chenopodium album, Chloris truncata and C. virgate, Conyza bonariensis and C. canadensis, Cyperus rotundus, and many more. This information is crucial for researchers and growers to develop integrated weed management (IWM) strategies. Written by leading experts across the globe, this book is an essential read to plant biologists and ecologists, crop scientists, and students and researchers interested in weed science.

Progress in Brain Research series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

Cytogenomics demonstrates that chromosomes are crucial in understanding the human genome and that new high-throughput approaches are central to advancing cytogenetics in the 21st century. After an introduction to (molecular) cytogenetics, being the basic of all cytogenomic research, this book highlights the strengths and newfound advantages of cytogenomic research methods and technologies, enabling researchers to jump-start their own projects and more effectively gather and interpret chromosomal data. Methods discussed include banding and molecular cytogenetics, molecular combing, molecular karyotyping, next-generation sequencing, epigenetic study approaches, optical mapping/karyomapping, and CRISPR-cas9 applications for cytogenomics. The book's second half demonstrates recent applications of cytogenomic techniques, such as characterizing 3D chromosome structure across different tissue types and insights into multilayer organization of chromosomes, role of repetitive elements and noncoding RNAs in human genome, studies in topologically associated domains, interchromosomal interactions, and chromoanagenesis. This book is an important reference source for researchers, students, basic and translational scientists, and clinicians in the areas of human genetics, genomics, reproductive medicine, gynecology, obstetrics, internal medicine, oncology, bioinformatics, medical genetics, and prenatal testing, as well as genetic counselors, clinical laboratory geneticists, bioethicists, and fertility specialists.

Vascular Disease in Women highlights the epidemiology, natural history and treatment of vascular disease, specifically as it pertains to women. The book provides a thorough overview of what is known and waht is now known about vascular disease in women and highlights opportunities for further education and research on this topic. The book will serve as an essential reference for both clinicians and researchers, discussing the disease prevalence, treatment options, and treatment outcomes for vascular disease in women and explores the need for future research in vascular disease specifically as it pertains to women.

Environmental and Health Management of Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) examines mitigation measures that can be adopted at the time of a novel coronavirus outbreak to lessen environmental contamination and impacts on human health. The book discusses origin, structure and pathogenesis, epidemiology, environmental transmission and the potential spread routes of COVID-19 via surfaces, air, water, wastewater, medical waste and food products. It also covers guidelines and protocols for setting safety conditions to provide adequate health care and reduce the risk of infection in health and non-healthcare settings, along with preventative measures and disinfection technologies. In addition, the book discusses challenges, opportunities and future perspectives, the global crisis, and global consequences on the environment and health. With contributions from experts, this book presents a multidisciplinary reference resource for virologists, microbiologists, public health professionals, environmental health managers and others engaged in the study and mitigation of the environmental and health impacts of the virus.

Amphibian Models of Development and Disease, Volume 145 in the Current Topics in Developmental Biology series, highlights new advances in the field written by an international board of experts. New chapters in this release include Building a ciliated epithelium: Transcriptional regulation and radial intercalation of multiciliated cells, Biomechanics of Amphibian Morphogenesis, Planar cell polarity during neural tube closure, Xenopus neural crest and its relevance to human disease, Endoderm organogenesis, From egg to embryo in marsupial frogs, Evo-devo lessons from the analysis of Xenopus genomes, Transcriptional regulation during zygotic genome activation, Proteomics and metabolomics for cell lineage analysis in frog embryos, and more.

Signal Transduction in Cancer and Immunity, Volume 361 in the International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology series highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on a variety of timely topics. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

Practical Biostatistics: A Step-by-Step Approach for Evidence-Based Medicine, Second Edition presents a complete resource of biostatistical knowledge meant for health sciences students, researchers and health care professionals. The book's content covers the investigator's hypothesis, collective health, observational studies, the biostatistics of intervention studies, clinical trials and additional concepts. Chapters are written in a didactic way, making them easier to comprehend by readers with little or no background on statistics. Evidence-based medicine aims to apply the best available evidence gained from the scientific method to medical decision-making using statistical analyses of scientific methods and outcomes to drive further experimentation and diagnosis. With a detailed outline of implementation steps complemented by a review of important topics, this book can be used as a quick reference or hands-on guide on how to effectively incorporate biostatistics in clinical trials and research projects.