Mycotoxins are increasingly attracting attention at thegovernmental, public and academic level worldwide, due to more frequent and serious contaminations of food and feedstuffs, which pose a serious threat to human health and animal production. This book reviews the latest research on mycotoxins that directly concern food safety, and especially focuses on detection technologies, risk assessment and control strategiescurrently being used in China. Gathering contributions from over 20 respected researchers, the book will benefit graduatestudents, researchers and management groups from various disciplines, including food science and technology, analytical chemistry, plant pathology, public health, etc.

This volume provides a review of current research in the field of B cell development and differentiation with particular emphasis on signal transduction processes. The volume is divided into two parts that focus, respectively, on the basic biochemical pathways which regulate B cell biology and the role of signal transduction processes in regulating various aspects of B cell function, development and differentiation. In this second part the molecular processes involved in translating BCR engagement to specific biological outcomes are reviewed. Topics covered in this part include signal transduction via the pre-B cell antigen receptor complex, the control of immunoglobulin gene recombination and allelic exclusion, and molecular regulation of positive and negative selection. These latter chapters present information regarding processes which are critical for the B cell response to foreign antigen that leads to differentiation into antibody secreting plasma.

This book gives basic facts about litter decomposition studies, which are of guidance for scientists who start studies. Since the publication of the third edition, there has been quite a development not only in the field of litter decomposition but also in supporting branches of science, which are important for fruitful work on and understanding of decomposition of plant litter and sequestration of carbon. A consequence is that 'old established truths' are becoming outdated. New knowledge in the fields of phytochemistry and microbial ecology has given a new baseline for discussing the concepts 'litter decomposition' and 'carbon sequestration'. We can also see a rich literature on litter decomposition studies using roots and wood as substrates. These have given new insights in factors that regulate the decomposition rate and as regards roots their contribution to sequestered carbon in humus. Additional facts on the role of temperature vs the litters' chemical composition may in part change our view on effects of climate change. Further information on applications of the new analytical technique (13C-NMR) for determining organic-chemical compounds has allowed us to develop these parts. Focus is laid on needle litter of Scots pine as a model substrate as this species has been considerably more studied than other litter species. Also the boreal/northern temperate coniferous forest has in part been given this role. Still, new information may allow us to develop information about litter from further tree species.

The book will address selected topics in postharvest pathology aiming at highlighting recent development in the science, technology and control strategies of postharvest diseases to reduce losses and enhance safety of harvested agricultural products. Topics will include: 1) Introduction: Perspectives and challenges in postharvest pathology 2) Elucidating host-pathogen interactions 3) Next generation technologies for management and detection of postharvest pathogens 4) Food safety in postharvest pathology 5) Alternative postharvest diseases control strategies 6) Chemical control of postharvest diseases

This new edition of Fungi in Ecosystem Processes continues the unique approach of examining the roles of fungi from the perspective of ecosystem functions. It explores how fungi have adapted to survive within particular constraints, how they help to maintain homeostasis in ecosystems, how they facilitate resistance to perturbations, and how they influence the communities of other organisms. Updated and revised, the second edition Expands the section on plant pathogens, invasive species, and insect-fungal interactions Provides more extensive coverage on insect-fungal interactions, including entomopathogens, the links between entomopathogens and endophytes, and symbiotic and mutualistic interactions Adds a new section on fungi in the built environment Presents new material on below-ground to above-ground interactions mediated through fungi, such as mycorrhizal signaling systems for herbivory defense The book also includes expanded coverage of the role of fungi in suppressive soils, aquatic and marine fungi, modern methods of following food chains in fungal-invertebrate trophic interactions, and the physiology of nutrient uptake by mycorrhizae. A necessary update and expansion to previous material, this book provides an essential reference on the current understanding of fungal roles in ecosystem processes. It also identifies directions for future study, including an emphasis on the need for further research on fungi in built environments.

The emergence of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics has become a serious threat to public health and is considered one of the greatest challenges for contemporary medicine. Phage therapy - the use of bacteriophages as anti-bacterial agents - may offer an alternative treatment for bacterial infections. Phages have many potential applications in human medicine, as well as in dentistry, veterinary science, agriculture, and food protection. Written by internationally recognized experts from leading centers involved in phage research and phage therapy, this book provides comprehensive coverage of the topic with a focus on current research and emerging applications. The book opens with chapters covering the general characteristics of bacteriophages and the basic concepts of phage therapy. Further topics include: the pharmacology of phage therapy * bacterial resistance * non-bactericidal effects of phages * main applications of bacteriophages in clinical medicine * plant pathosystems * animal production * food protection * biofilm control * regulatory and intellectual property aspects of phage therapy. Although the book focuses on applications of virulent bacteriophages, it also discusses genetically-engineered phages, phages as delivery vehicles for other antimicrobials, as well as phage lysins. It will be an essential reference for anyone interested in phage therapy, antibacterial resistance, antimicrobial development, bacteriophage research, biocontrol, and biodetection.

Recently, magnetic nanostructures have gained a remarkable interest for basic research and applied studies. Because of their low cost and ease of manufacture and modification, they have great potential for agricultural and environmental applications. The use of magnetic nanostructures has been proven in a wide range of fields including catalysis, biotechnology, biomedicine, magnetic resonance imaging, agriculture, biosensors, and removal of environmental pollutants, among others. This book includes 16 chapters of collected knowledge, discoveries, and applications in agriculture, soil remediation, and water treatment. It describes the role of nano-agriculture with regard to food security and discusses environmental and agricultural protection concerns. It further offers potential applications of magnetic nanomaterials in the agriculture and food sectors, such as the development of sensors, environment monitoring for wastewater treatment and the remediation of contaminated soils. Increasing crop yield through the use of nanopesticides or nanofertilizers and biosecurity using sensors for detecting pathogens along the entire food chain are discussed as well. This book also brings together various sources of expertise on different aspects magnetic nanostructure application in the agri-food sector and environment remediation. Magnetic nanostructures also have great potential in biotechnological processes, as they can be utilized as a carrier for enzymes during different biocatalytic transformations. Novel magnetic nanomaterials can be used for detection and separation of pesticides from environmental and biological samples. The excellent adsorption capacity of the modified magnetic nanoadsorbents together with other advantages such as reusability, easy separation, environmentally friendly composition, and freedom of interferences of alkaline earth metal ions make them suitable adsorbents for removal of heavy metal ions from environmental and industrial wastes. One of the most important environmental applications of magnetic nanostructures has been in the treatment of water, whether in the remediation of groundwater or through the magnetic separation and/or sensing of contaminants present in various aqueous systems. The integrated combination of these 16 chapters, written by experts with considerable experience in their area of research, provides a comprehensive overview on the synthesis, characterization, application, environmental processing, and agriculture of engineered magnetic nanostructures. Its comprehensive coverage discusses how nanostructure materials interact in plants as well as their potential and useful applications.

Textiles and Their Use in Microbial Protection: Focus on COVID-19 and Other Viruses provides readers with vital information about disinfection mechanisms used in textile applications in the fight against dangerous microbes and viruses. KEY FEATURES: Introduces the basics of textile materials used for medical applications Features key information on virology, characterization, indication, and passivation of COVID-19 Describes UV, photocatalysis, photooxidation, application of TiO2, copper-based viral inhibition, and activated carbon Discusses antiviral finishes for the protection against SARS-CoV-2, particle penetration in dense cotton fabrics under swollen state, and the impact of moisture on face masks and their designs Aimed at textile and materials engineers as well as readers in medical fields, this text offers a comprehensive view of fundamentals and solutions in the use of textiles for microbial protection.

Palms are monocots, Angiosperms, belonging to the family Palmae (Arecaceae), perennials having woody stems. Palmae (Arecaceae) family comprised of about six subfamilies, 200 genera and 2,700 species that are distributed all over the tropical, subtropical and Mediterranean landscape. Palms are diverse (ecologically and morphologically) group of plants. Ornamental palms are important component of landscape as well as interiorscapes. Additionally, these plants are good source of food, feed and shelter with numerous other commercial benefits. Likewise other trees and crops, landscape and field nurseries of palms are also subjected to various threats of insect pest and diseases (caused by different plant pathogens). Amongst fungal diseases leaf spots, leaf blights, Fusarium wilts, butt rots, bud rots, root rots, lethal yellowing and decline of palms are major growth constraints of palm growth. In developing countries very little attention has been paid on the etiology and management of these fungal diseases on ornamental palms. Accurate diagnosis and reliable management plan of palm fungal diseases usually requires expertise in both modern and advanced plant pathological approaches. Historically it was general belief that plant pathogens are not associated with human diseases. Since 19th century, several clinical reports are available indicating many plant pathogenic fungi (Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Alternaria spp., Trichoderma spp., Fusarium spp., Curvularia spp. and Colletotrichum Spp) as novel agents of human diseases. Besides the association of fungal plant pathogens infecting ornamental palms, harbouring any of earlier mentioned or other fungal species (capable of causing certain diseases in human beings or pets) by the ornamental palms cultivation (either grown indoor or outdoor) is an important area of research to be explored and addressed thoroughly. This book will provide the deep information regarding major fungal diseases of ornamental palms, their symptoms, disease identification, and etiology and management strategies. This book will also provide unique knowledge regarding the ornamental palms harbouring kinds of human fungal pathogens and their practical management at domestic and commercial scale, in order to make cultivation of these plant more beneficial for humans, animals and environment.

This book provides a timely and thorough snapshot into the emerging and fast evolving area of applied genomics of foodborne pathogens. Driven by the drastic advance of whole genome shot gun sequencing (WGS) technologies, genomics applications are becoming increasingly valuable and even essential in studying, surveying and controlling foodborne microbial pathogens. The vast opportunities brought by this trend are often at odds with the lack of bioinformatics know-how among food safety and public health professionals, since such expertise is not part of a typical food microbiology curriculum and skill set. Further complicating the challenge is the large and ever evolving body of bioinformatics tools that can obfuscate newcomers to this area. Although reviews, tutorials and books are not in short supply in the fields of bioinformatics and genomics, until now there has not been a comprehensive and customized source of information designed for and accessible to microbiologists interested in applying cutting-edge genomics in food safety and public health research. This book fills this void with a well-selected collection of topics, case studies, and bioinformatics tools contributed by experts at the forefront of foodborne pathogen genomics research.

The book discusses ways to overcome the side effects of using hydrocarbon-based products as energy sources. Hydrocarbons produce raw crude oil waste of around 600,000 metric tons per annum, with a range of uncertainty of 200,000 metric tons per year. The various chapters in this book focus on approaches to reduce these wastes through the application of potential microbes, in a process called bioremediation. The book is a one-stop reference resource on the methods, mechanisms and application of the bio-composites, in the laboratory and field. Focusing on resolving a very pressing environmental issue, it not only provides details of existing challenges, but also offers deeper insights into the possibility of solving problems using hydrocarbon bioremediation.

Recent research has focused attention on the importance of intrinsic antiviral immunity, i.e. immunity mediated by factors that are constitutively expressed in many cells. In this volume, leading experts provide a comprehensive overview of this relatively new and rapidly evolving field. They cover intrinsic proteinaceous antiviral immune effectors, such as the APOBEC3 and TRIM protein families as well as Tetherin and SAMHD1, which were initially discovered by researchers studying HIV-1. Furthermore, the role of RNA interference in antiviral defense in plants and invertebrates, as well as the interplay between microRNAs and viruses in mammalian cells, are analysed. One chapter discusses how intrinsic immunity and viral countermeasures to intrinsic immune effectors drive both pathogen and host evolution, and finally the emerging evidence that DNA damage response proteins restrict infection by DNA viruses is highlighted.

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The literature on recoding is scattered, so this superb book ?lls a need by prov- ing up-to-date, comprehensive, authoritative reviews of the many kinds of recoding phenomena. Between 1961 and 1966 my colleagues and I deciphered the genetic code in Escherichia coli and showed that the genetic code is the same in E. coli, Xenopus laevis, and guinea pig tissues. These results showed that the code has been c- served during evolution and strongly suggested that the code appeared very early during biological evolution, that all forms of life on earth descended from a c- mon ancestor, and thus that all forms of life on this planet are related to one another. The problem of biological time was solved by encoding information in DNA and retrieving the information for each new generation, for it is easier to make a new organism than it is to repair an aging, malfunctioning one. Subsequently, small modi?cations of the standard genetic code were found in certain organisms and in mitochondria. Mitochondrial DNA only encodes about 10-13 proteins, so some modi?cations of the genetic code are tolerated that pr- ably would be lethal if applied to the thousands of kinds of proteins encoded by genomic DNA.

The book is oriented towards undergraduates science and engineering students; postgraduates and researchers pursuing the field of microbiology, biotechnology, chemical - biochemical engineering and pharmacy. Various applications of microorganisms have been covered broadly and have been appropriately reflected in depth in 12 different chapters. The book begins with an insight to the diverse niche of microorganisms which have been explored and exploited in development of various biotechnological products and green processes. Further, how these microorganisms have been genetically modified to improve the desired traits for achieving optimal production of microbially derived products is discussed in the second chapter. Major route of production of microbially derived products and processes is through fermentation technology and therefore due emphasis on different aspects of fermentation technology has been given in the subsequent chapter. The development and deployment of biopesticides and biofertilizers which find tremendous application have been separately discussed under agricultural applications. Application of microbes for the removal of pollutants, recovery of metals and oils has also been discussed under environmental applications. The role of microbial systems in development of fermented foods and beverages have also been discussed in Chapter 6. The application of microbes in production of commodity chemicals and fine chemicals has also been discussed in separate chapters. A chapter has been dedicated to the tremendous applications of microbially produced enzymes in different industrial sectors. Another unique facet of this book is explaining the different methods by which desired traits of microorganisms have been improved for their efficacious and economical exploitation in the industry. A chapter is dedicated to exploitation of microorganisms in development of vaccines for human and veterinary use. Finally, the last chapter discusses the role of immobilization in optimization of industrial processes and development of microbial biosensors for industrial applications. Thus, this book is a holistic approach providing information on the present applications of microorganisms.

This book expands on the previous volumes with new chapters focusing on functional characterization of phage and their proteins, and on the development of phage therapy by outlining novel models. The chapters in this book cover molecular topics such as PhageFISH for monitoring phage infections at single cell level; the analysis of phage-host protein-protein interactions using Strep-tag (R) II purifications; and also application driven chapters including 'duckweed (Lemna minor) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) as bacterial infection model systems'. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Innovative and thorough, Bacteriophages: Methods and Protocols, Volume IV is a valuable resource for both established and novice phage scientists.

The field of industrial microbiology involves a thorough knowledge of the microbial physiology behind the processes in the large-scale, profit-oriented production of microbe-related goods which are the subject of the field. In recent times a paradigm shift has occurred, and a molecular understanding of the various processes by which plants, animals and microorganisms are manipulated is now central to industrial microbiology. Thus the various applications of industrial microbiology are covered broadly, with emphasis on the physiological and genomic principles behind these applications. Relevance of the new elements such as bioinformatics, genomics, proteomics, site-directed mutation and metabolic engineering, which have necessitated the paradigm shift in industrial microbiology are discussed.

This volume is a revision of Biological Control by R. van den Bosch and P. S. Messenger, originally published by Intext Publishers. In the revision, I have attempted to keep the original theme, and to update it with current research findings and new chapters or sections on insect pathology, microbial control of weeds and plant pathogens, population dynamics, integrated pest management, and economics. The book was written as an undergraduate text, and not as a complete review of the subject area. Various more comprehen sive volumes have been written to serve as handbooks for the experts. This book is designed to provide a concise overview of the complex and valuable field of biological control and to show the relationships to the developing concepts of integrated pest management. Population regulation of pests by natural enemies is the major theme of the book, but other biological methods of pest control are also discussed. The chapter on population dynamics assumes a precalculus-level knowledge of mathematics. Author names of species are listed only once in the text, but all are listed in the Appendix. Any errors or omissions in this volume are my sole responsibility. A. P. Gutierrez Professor of Entomology Division of Biological Control University of California, Berkeley vii Acknowledgments Very special thanks must be given to my colleagues, Professors C. B. Huffaker and L. E. Caltagirone, for the very thorough review they provided and for the many positive suggestions they gave. Dr."

Increasing agro productivity to feed a growing global population under the present climate scenario requires optimizing the use of resources and adopting sustainable agricultural production. This can be achieved by using plant beneficial bacteria, i.e., those bacteria that enhance plant growth under abiotic stress conditions, and more specifically, microorganisms such as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), which are the most promising candidates in this regard. Attaining sustainable agricultural production while preserving environmental quality, agro-ecosystem functions and biodiversity represents a major challenge for current agricultural practices; further, the traditional use of chemical inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, nutrients etc.) poses serious threats to crop productivity, soil fertility and the nutritional value of farm produce. Given these risks, managing pests and diseases, maintaining agro-ecosystem health, and avoiding health issues for humans and animals have now become key priorities. The use of PGPR as biofertilizers, plant growth promoters, biopesticides, and soil and plant health managers has attracted considerable attention among researchers, agriculturists, farmers, policymakers and consumers alike. Using PGPR can help meet the expected demand for global agricultural productivity to feed the world's booming population, which is predicted to reach roughly 9 billion by 2050. However, to do so, PGPR strains must be safe for the environment, offer considerable plant growth promotion and biocontrol potential, be compatible with useful soil rhizobacteria, and be able to withstand various biotic and abiotic stresses. Accordingly, the book also highlights the need for better strains of PGPR to complement increasing agro-productivity.

This need-based unique book deals exclusively with water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) meat to provide much needed information to thousands of buffalo meat processors across the world. The information provided in this first-of-its-kind book on buffalo meat quality, nutritional characteristics, safety, and processing can be utilized by buffalo meat producers and meat processors for the advancement of the buffalo meat sector. It also provides valuable information to faculty members, students, researchers, and all other readers interested in this new source of meat. Owing to the limited research and scientific literature available on buffalo meat, the authors' own research findings and our experiences were included wherever required to give crisp, practical, and complete information. The information proposed in this book should be beneficial to the entire buffalo industry, from the farming and processing of buffaloes to the marketing of products. This serve as a handy guide to meat scientists, faculty members, and students willing to learn more about buffalo meat processing. Up-to-date relevant references were also included for the benefit of researchers and students to enable them to easily access further information. Above all, it provides valuable information to consumers who are interested to know this new and potential source of meat.

The roles of microbes in agriculture, industry and environment have been the point of interest since long time for their potential exploitation. Although only a fraction of microbial diversity was accessed by microbiologists earlier for harnessing them owing to limited techniques available. The molecular techniques have opened new vistas to access the wide field of the unexplored microbes and their exploitation for useful genes and novel metabolites. Sincere efforts have been made in biotechnology using microbes leading to improve our life with respect to agriculture and people health.

This comprehensive volume covers different aspects of microbial biotechnology and its management in sustainable agriculture for food security and improved human health. The book comprises four sections: Endophytes and Mycorrhizae, Microbial Diversity and Plant Protection, Microbial Functions and Biotechnology, and Microbes and the Environment, which contain 53 chapters.

The book examines the aspects on endophytes and mycorrhizae, bioactive compounds, growth promoting microorganisms, disease management with emphasis on biocontrol, genetics of disease resistance, microbial enzymes, advances in potential of microbes and their industrial as well as pharmaceutical applications. In addition, the use of botanicals, and the etiology and management of medicinal and aromatic plants in the post harvest management have been reviewed in greater depth for the benefit of teaching and research community.

The biotechnological developments using microbe potential have enabled us combat the environment and human health problems worldwide in ecofriendly manner. We are sure that this volume will be highly useful to all those concerned with fungi, bacteria, viruses and their biology, including environmental and public health officers and professionals in the field of interest. The volume is an exhaustive coverage of almost all the aspects of microbial biology and biotechnology.

We wish to place on record a heartfelt thanks to all the contributors of the present endeavor. We thank Mr. Vijay Kumar Sharma, research scholar of RN Kharwar, for his untiring support. Last but not the least, we owe a special thank to Springer for publishing this book."

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the cell cycle regulation and development in Alphaproteobacteria. Cell cycle and cellular differentiation are fascinating biological phenomena that are highly regulated in all organisms. In the last decades, many laboratories around the world have been investigating these processes in Alphaproteobacteria. This bacterial class comprises important bacterial species, studied by fundamental and applied research. The complexity of cell cycle regulation and many examples of cellular differentiations in this bacterial group represent the main motives of this book. The book starts with discussing the regulation of cell cycle in alphaproteobacterial species from a system biology perspective. The following chapters specifically focus on the model species Caulobacter crescentus multiple layers of regulation, from transcriptional cascades to proteolysis and dynamic subcellular regulation of cell cycle regulators. In addition, the cell division process, chromosome segregation and growth of the cell envelope is described in detail. The last part of the book covers examples of non-Caulobacter alphaproteobacterial models, such as Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Brucella species and Sinorhizobium meliloti and also discusses possible applications. This book will be of interest to researchers in microbiology and cell biology labs working on cell cycle regulation and development.

This book merges approaches in understanding the function of the light-gated ion channels known as channelrhodopsin together with methods addressing how channelrhodopsins can be used to address biomedical questions on a cellular or organismal level. Since the first molecular identification of channelrhodopsins, a broad range of tools have been created and new approaches developed to both better understand the molecular determinants of channelrhodopsin function as well as to use these and homologous proteins from a variety of species as tools to better understand physiological processes, which this volume addresses. Additionally, channelrhodopsins have become instrumental as a potential treatment for disease states. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Channelrhodopsin: Methods and Protocols provides a resource for those interested in honing their current expertise in this vital area of study as well as potentially branching out into new directions.

Microbial bioremediation and biodegradation in environmental monitoring offers an environmentally friendly approach for the monitoring and effective removal of contaminants. Various aspects of microbial-mediated bioremediation take advantage of the microorganisms' ability to transform noxious compounds into utilizable intermediates and value-added products. Different microbial metabolites such as enzymes, biosurfactants, emulsifiers, organic acids, and solvents play significant roles in the decontamination of radioactive and heavy metals, chemical pesticides, and organic contaminants such as dyes and hydrocarbons in environmentally safe manners. Recent advancements in biochemical engineering, OMICS and genetic modification, and synthetic-biology pave ways for identifying indicator microbial strains, mechanisms of remediation, and the development of tailor-made microbe-metabolites for future applications. Microbial biotechnology in environmental monitoring and bioremediation thus represent a new way to rehabilitate and reconstruct "damaged" ecosystems.This work summarizes the latest research in the field of environmental bioremediation and offers fascinating insights on the behaviours of these unique microorganisms. It also presents exciting, new perspectives for the application of microbes in environmental protection. It is suitable for students, scholars, researchers and organizations involved in environmental protection.

This book entitled 'Application of Nanotechnology in Food Science, Processing and Packaging' presents up-to-date information on the emerging roles of nanotechnology in food industry, its fundamental concepts, techniques and applications. The application of nanotechnology in the food industry is an emerging area which has found tremendous use in improving food quality through the enhancement of food taste, texture, colour, and flavour. Also, its application has improved the bioavailability and target delivery of certain bioactive food ingredients through controlled release of nutrients, a feature that is impossible with the conventional methods of food processing. The application of nanotechnology in food packaging for the detection of contaminants, pathogens, biotoxins and pesticides through nanosensor safety evaluations has led to the increase in shelf-life of products and quality assurance through the detection and monitoring of toxins. This book taps from the experience of subject experts from key institutions around the world. The users of this book will benefit greatly as the chapters were simplified and arranged carefully to aid proper understanding, consistency and continuity.