This volume is a self-contained companion piece to Studying Vibrational Communication, published in 2014 within the same series. The field has expanded considerably since then, and has even acquired a name of its own: biotremology. In this context, the book reports on new concepts in this fascinating discipline, and features chapters on state-of-the art methods for studying behavior tied to substrate-borne vibrations, as well as an entire section on applied biotremology. Also included are a historical contribution by pioneers in the field and several chapters reviewing the advances that have been made regarding specific animal taxa. Other new topics covered are vibrational communication in vertebrates, multimodal communication, and biotremology in the classroom, as well as in art and music. Given its scope, the book will appeal to all those interested in communication and vibrational behavior, but also to those seeking to learn about an ancient mode of communication.

GPCRS: Structure, Function, and Drug Discovery provides a comprehensive overview of recent discoveries and our current understanding of GPCR structure, signaling, physiology, pharmacology and methods of study. In addition to the fundamental aspects of GPCR function and dynamics, international experts discuss crystal structures, GPCR complexes with partner proteins, GPCR allosteric modulation, biased signaling through protein partners, deorphanization of GPCRs, and novel GPCR-targeting ligands that could lead to the development of new therapeutics against human diseases. GPCR association with, and possible therapeutic pathways for, retinal degenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer and diabetic nephropathy, among other illnesses, are examined in-depth.

This book is an introduction to the mechanical properties, the force generating capacity, and the sensitivity to mechanical cues of the biological system. To understand how these qualities govern many essential biological processes, we also discuss how to measure them. However, before delving into the details and the techniques, we will first learn the operational definitions in mechanics, such as force, stress, elasticity, viscosity and so on. This book will explore the mechanics at three different length scales--molecular, cellular, and tissue levels--sequentially, and discuss the measurement techniques to quantify the intrinsic mechanical properties, force generating capacity, mechanoresponsive processes in the biological systems, and rupture forces.

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins: Dynamics, Binding, and Function thoroughly examines and ties together the fundamental biochemical functions of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), including signaling, binding, and regulation, with the methodology for study and the associated pathways for drug design and therapeutic intervention. The role of new mechanistic, computational, and experimental approaches in IDP study are explored in depth, with methods for the characterization of IDP dynamics; models, simulations, and mechanisms of IDP and IDR binding; and biological and medical implications of IDP dynamics prominently featured. Written and edited by leading scientists in the field, this book explores groundbreaking areas such as ensemble descriptions of IDPs and IDRs, single-molecule studies of IDPs and IDRs, IDPs and IDRs in membraneless organelles, and molecular mechanisms of fibrillation of IDPs. Intrinsically Disordered Proteins provides students and researchers in biochemistry, molecular biology, and applied microbiology with a comprehensive and updated discussion of the complex dynamics of IDPs and IDRs.

SINGLE SOURCE GUIDE TO PEROXIDASES AND CATALASES

Reflecting the important historical discoveries and exciting research in the field in recent years, "Peroxidases and Catalases: Biochemistry, Biophysics, Biotechnology and Physiology" provides a much-needed systematic, up-to-date treatment of peroxidases and catalases.

From the structure and properties of the various superfamilies to current applications of peroxidases, the book consolidates vast amounts of information previously scattered in the professional literature, covering all aspects of these ubiquitous enzymes that act on a variety of substances and processes in living systems--their properties, reactions, crystal structures, cloning, and more.

Considering the subject from both theoretical and applied perspectives, "Peroxidases and Catalases" offers a critical review of the literature and detailed discussions of the most current research. Chapters cover:

The background and history of peroxidases and catalases

Plant, fungal, and bacterial peroxidase superfamilies and their organization

Mammalian peroxidases including medical and physiological roles

Spectroscopic and theoretical techniques for studying peroxidases highlighting the contributions of physicists and physical/theoretical chemists

Heme peroxidases, catalases, and other peroxidases such as vanadium and selenium peroxidase

Relevant plant and animal physiology

This one-stop reference is a vital reference for biochemists, biologists, biochemical engineers, physiologists, environmental and pharmaceutical researchers, and others interested in the study and use of peroxidases and catalases.

All living matter is comprised of cells; small compartments isolated from the environment by a cell membrane and filled with concentrated solutions of various organic and inorganic compounds. Some organisms are a single cell and all life functions are performed by that cell. Others have groups of cells, or entire organs, specializing in one particular function. The survival of the entire organism depends on all its cells and organs fulfilling their roles. The aim of this book is to investigate the basic physical phenomena occurring in cells. These physical transport processes facilitate chemical reactions in the cell and that, in turn, leads to the biological functions necessary for the cell to satisfy its role in the mother organism. Ultimately, the goal of every cell is to stay alive and to fulfil its function as a part of a larger organ or organism. This first volume is an inventory of physical transport processes occurring in cells, while the second volume will take a closer look at how complex biological and physiological cell phenomena result from these very basic physical processes.

Gene therapy as a potential method for the treatment of genetic disorders and other malignancies, as well as the treatment of many cancers, has attracted a great amount of attention in recent years. Current research focuses on stable and smart drug/gene-delivery systems, including controlled release. Nanoparticle (NP)-Based Delivery Vehicles looks at smart nanostructures and how these are considered a promising approach when applied to drug- and gene-delivery systems, in addition to how to solve the problems related to the inefficient transfer of medication to the affected cells.

Advancement in the field of nanotechnology has revolutionized the field of medicines and pharmaceuticals in the 20th century. The proper use of nanomaterials in medical applications requires a proper understanding of these compounds. This correct understanding, beyond the physical and chemical properties, must also have the correct logic of use. In other words, the strategic use of nanomaterials with applicable perspective can also help to advance research, but if we go forward with the current research perspective that leads to the expansion of inapplicable researches, the intrinsic importance of using these nanomaterials is eliminated. This book, considering the importance of nanomaterials and their application in medicine, as well as the significant growth of biomaterials in research fields, introduces the variables law (Rabiee's theory) for the implementation of this research and the establishment of a proper strategy. It should be noted that in addition to observing biocompatibility tests for a biomaterial based on existing protocols and standards, the Applicable Compatibility (AC) parameter is also required in accordance with Rabiee's theory. This book is written in accordance with Rabiee's theory and the contents of this book should be evaluated from this perspective.

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) emerges as a possible new modality for cancer treatment. This book provides a comprehensive introduction into the fundamentals of the CAP and plasma devices used in plasma medicine. An analysis of the mechanisms of plasma interaction with cancer and normal cells, including a description of possible mechanisms of plasma selectivity, is included. Recent advances in the field, the primary challenges and future directions are also presented.

This book presents an overview of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), their mechanisms of antimicrobial action, other activities, and various problems that must still be overcome regarding their clinical application. Divided into four major parts, the book begins with a general overview of AMPs (Part I), and subsequently discusses the various mechanisms of antimicrobial action and methods for researching them (Part 2). It then addresses a range of activities other than antimicrobial action, such as cell penetration, antisepsis, anticancer, and immunomodulatory activities (Part 3), and explores the prospects of clinical application from various standpoints such as the selective toxicity, design, and discovery of AMPs (Part 4). A huge number of AMPs have been discovered in plants, insects, and vertebrates including humans, and constitute host defense systems against invading pathogenic microorganisms. Consequently, many attempts have been made to utilize AMPs as antibiotics. AMPs could help to solve the urgent problem of drug-resistant bacteria, and are also promising with regard to sepsis and cancer therapy. Gathering a wealth of information, this book will be a bible for all those seeking to develop antibiotics, anti-sepsis, or anticancer agents based on AMPs.

Integrated Nano-Biomechanics provides an integrated look into the rapidly evolving field of nanobiomechanics. The book demystifies the processes in living organisms at the micro- and nano-scale through mechanics, using theoretical, computational and experimental means. The book develops the concept of integrating different technologies along the hierarchical structure of biological systems and clarifies biomechanical interactions among different levels for the analysis of multi-scale pathophysiological phenomena. With a focus on nano-scale processes and biomedical applications, it is shown how knowledge obtained can be utilized in a range of areas, including diagnosis and treatment of various human diseases and alternative energy production. This book is based on collaboration of researchers from a unique combination of fields, including biomechanics, computational mechanics, GPU application, electron microscopy, biology of motile micro-organisms, entomological mechanics and clinical medicine. The book will be of great interest to scientists and researchers involved in disciplines, such as micro- and nano-engineering, bionanotechnology, biomedical engineering, micro- and nano-scale fluid-mechanics (such as in MEMS devices), nanomedicine and microbiology, as well as industries such as optical devices, computer simulation, plant based energy sources and clinical diagnosis of the gastric diseases.

This volume explores how ionic liquids are used in different areas of biotechnology. It also provides insights on the interaction of ionic liquids with biomolecules and biomaterials. Ionic liquids have become essential players in the fields of synthesis, catalysis, extraction and electrochemistry, and their unique properties have opened a wide range of applications in biotechnology. Readers will discover diverse examples of the application of ionic liquids as solvents for biomaterials extraction and pretreatment, in enzymatic and whole cell catalysed reaction, and as activation agents for biocatalysis. Particular attention is given to the biologically functionalized ionic liquids employed in medical and pharmaceutical applications. Although ionic liquids are considered "green solvents", the contributing authors will also explore their environmental impact when applied to biotechnology. Chemical, biological and medical scientists interested in ionic liquids and biotechnology will find this work instructive and informative.

Marine enzymes and specialized metabolism - Part B, Volume 605 in the Methods in Enzymology series, highlights experimental methods on diverse marine enzymes involved in the construction of bioactive natural product molecules. Unique sections in this new release include discussions on polysaccharide-degrading enzymes from marine gastropods, radical SAM epimerases from sponge microbes, DMS/P demethylase in bacteria, reconstitution of particulate methane monooxygenase into membrane mimetics, the structure and function of cyanobactin enzymes, marine cyanobacterial polyketide beta-branching enzymology, marine cyanobacterial PKS-NRPS enzymology and structural biology, biochemical profiling of DMSP lyases, and more.

This book provides a general introduction to nanogels, and designs of various stimuli-sensitive nanogels that are able to control drug release in response to specific stimuli. Nanogels are three-dimensional nanosized networks that formed by physically or chemically crosslinking polymers. They have highly interesting properties such as biocompatibility, high stability, particle size adjustment, drug loading capability and modification of the surface for active targeting. They can respond to stimuli which results in the controlled release of drug and targeting of the site.

This book presents the fundamentals and the state of the art of the photophysics of molecular oxygen. The author examines optical transitions between the lowest-lying electronic states in molecular oxygen and how these transitions respond to perturbation, either from an organic molecule or from the plasmon field of a metal nanoparticle. We live on a planet filled with light and oxygen. The interaction between these two components forms the basis of excited state chemistry spanning the fields of synthetic organic chemistry, materials chemistry, molecular biology, and photodynamic treatment of cancer. Still, the fundamental ways in which oxygen is affected by light is an active subject of research and is continually being developed and rationalized. In this book, readers will learn that singlet oxygen, the excited state of oxygen that exhibits unique chemical reactivity, can be selectively made via direct optical excitation of oxygen in a sensitizer-free system. Readers will also discover that this approach can perturb living cells differently depending on the singlet oxygen "dose".

Biophysical Basis of Physiology and Calcium Signaling Mechanism in Cardiac and Smooth Muscle acts as a bridge between physiology and physics by discussing the physiology and calcium signaling mechanism in cardiac and smooth muscle. By exploring the mechanism of the cyclic release of stored Ca^(2+) in the SR or ER, this book covers the cell communication system, including excitable cells, recognizing the most relevant mechanisms of cell communication. Serving as a bridge between physiology and physics, coverage spans the physiology and calcium signaling mechanism in cardiac and smooth muscle, offering insight to physiological scientists, pharmaceutical scientists, medical doctors, biologists and physicists.

This thesis focuses on theoretical analysis of the sophisticated ultrafast optical experiments that probe the crucial first few picoseconds of quantum light harvesting, making an important contribution to quantum biology, an exciting new field at the intersection of condensed matter, physical chemistry and biology. It provides new insights into the role of vibrational dynamics during singlet fission of organic pentacene thin films, and targeting the importance of vibrational dynamics in the design of nanoscale organic light harvesting devices, it also develops a new wavelet analysis technique to probe vibronic dynamics in time-resolved nonlinear optical experiments. Lastly, the thesis explores the theory of how non-linear "breather" vibrations are excited and propagate in the disordered nanostructures of photosynthetic proteins.

This book focuses on the state-of-the-art of biosensor research and development for specialists and non-specialists. It introduces the fundamentals of the subject with relevant characteristics of transducer elements, as well as biochemical recognition molecules. This book is ideal for researchers of nanotechnology, materials science and biophysics.