Despite great advances in public health worldwide, insect vector-borne infectious diseases remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Diseases that are transmitted by arthropods such as mosquitoes, sand flies, fleas, and ticks affect hundreds of millions of people and account for nearly three million deaths all over the world. In the past there was very little hope of controlling the epidemics caused by these diseases, but modern advancements in science and technology are providing a variety of ways in which these diseases can be handled. Clearly, the process of transmission of an infectious disease is a nonlinear (not necessarily linear) dynamic process which can be understood only by appropriately quantifying the vital parameters that govern these dynamics.

This book presents a detailed discussion on the direct interactions of plants and microorganisms in the rhizosphere environment. It includes fifteen chapters, each focusing on a specific component of plant-microbe interactions, such as the influence of plants on the root microbiome, and the downstream effects of rhizosphere microbial dynamics on carbon and nutrient fluxes in the surroundings. As such, the book helps readers gain a better understanding of diversity above the ground, and its effect on the microbiome and its functionality.

This book addresses important questions on the legislation, regulations, sustainability, technology transfer, safety of biomaterials and mechanism of action of nonthermal processing on the molecular level of biomaterials and its impact on health. The chapters take an interdisciplinary approach that is of interest to specialists from engineering, physics, chemistry, agriculture, life sciences and beyond, with a focus on further development of existing and new applications of nonthermal processing and their combination with other methods in the processing of biomaterials, agriculture, biotechnology and the re-use of waste and by-products. Nonthermal Processing in Agri-Food-Bio Sciences: Sustainability and Future Goals aims to boost further developments and applications of nonthermal technologies to develop healthier products, to ensure consumer approval for these innovative technologies and to improve the sustainability of biomaterials production. The industrial application of nonthermal processing has led to an increase in innovative value products and the overall improvement of production capacity. Nonthermal processes use less energy and chemicals, reduce processing times, have less environmental impact, produce less waste, and have the potential for industrial scale-up and a return-on-investment in under 5 years. According to The United Nations and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 17 goals should be incorporated within development projects, and researchers are starting to use novel techniques to meet them. In covering the fundamental engineering theories underlying nonthermal processing, this book will aid in this mission. The book overviews the advantages and disadvantages of novel technologies, over to sustainability goals to correct steps for the scale-up and return on investment. The book includes the chemistry and physics of nonthermal processing technologies, dedicated to specialists and researchers from a wide range of subject areas. Interdisciplinary scientists and engineers, sustainability experts can use this text to aid in their work in green technologies.

Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. Green polymer chemistry is an extension of green chemistry to polymer science and engineering. Developments in this area have been stimulated by health and environmental concerns, interest in sustainability, desire to decrease the dependence on petroleum, and opportunities to design and produce "green" products and processes. Major advances include new uses of biobased feedstock, green reactions, green processing methodologies, and green polymeric products. A current feature of green polymer chemistry is that it is both global and multidisciplinary. Thus, publications in this field are spread out over different journals in different countries. Moreover, a successful research effort may involve collaborations of people in various disciplines, such as organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, material science, chemical engineering, biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, enzymology, toxicology, environmental science, and analytical chemistry. This book combines the major interdisciplinary research in this field and is targeted for scientists, engineers, and students, who are involved or interested in green polymer chemistry. These may include chemists, biochemists, material scientists, chemical engineers, microbiologists, molecular biologists, enzymologists, toxicologists, environmental scientists, and analytical chemists. It can be a textbook for a course on green chemistry and also a reference book for people who need information on specific topics involving biocatalysis and biobased materials.

In recent years nuclear pre-mRNA processing has taken center stage as an important regulator of gene expression and ultimately growth and development. Large-scale genome and cDNA sequencing projects together with bioinformatic analyses of these sequences have revealed that alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs contributes greatly to transcriptome and proteome complexity in eukaryotes. During the last few years, tremendous progress has been made in understanding various aspects of pre-mRNA processing including alternative splicing and its importance in plant growth and development as well as in plant responses to hormones and stresses. This book, with contributions from leading scientists in this area, summarizes recent advances in nuclear pre-mRNA processing in plants. It provides researchers in the field, as well as those in related areas, with an up-to-date and comprehensive, yet concise, overview of the current status and future potential of this research in understanding plant biology.

This book discusses the latest research and new techniques in the field of lactic acid bacteria, including comparative genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics. It also introduces the omics and functional evaluation in detail and shows the links between lactic acid bacteria and gut health and host immunity. Summarizing the biotechnological advances in lactic acid bacteria for food and health, it is a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students in the fields of food microbiology, bioengineering, food science, nutrition and health.

This book is a biography of a scientist who pioneered the development of plant pathology in Australia in the 19th and early 20th century, and was internationally acclaimed. After 20 years as a plant pathologist, he was asked to find the cause and cure of a serious physiological disorder of apples. While the cause eluded him, and everyone else for another 60 years, he again won international gratitude for the improvements he brought to the apple industry. However because he did not find the cause, he was deemed to have failed by his political masters who were malignantly influenced by a jealous rival. The discovery in 2012-2013 of government files covering the period of the bitter pit investigation, from 1911 to 1916; reveal the extent of the unjust criticism of McAlpine while history has vindicated the management recommendations made to reduce bitter-pit losses. The focus on bitter-pit management late in McAlpine's Career also meant that those who value his memory have been less aware of the remarkable achievements of McAlpine in the time before he left Great Britain - the brilliance of his teaching and drawing skills -featured in the early teaching texts for botany and zoology (the latter with his brother) which are now accessible on-line. The objective of this book is to demonstrate that (i) the view that McAlpine had failed in his quest was wrong and seriously unjust (ii) McAlpine achievements extend beyond plant pathology and include significant contributions to the 19th century teaching of botany and zoology, contributions which reinforce the adage - a picture is worth a 1,000 words.

This book covers all aspects of probiotic bacteria and their metabolites, as well as their role and significance in human and animal health. Given the role of probiotic bacterial strains in the production of short chain fatty acids, butyrate etc probiotics may be considered as an alternative approach for the prevention or treatment of intestinal dysbiosis, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, hypertensions. Additionally, the significance of probiotics added in aquaculture systems for improving health, performance and growth of aquatic organisms has been highlighted. In this book, the multi-functional role of probiotics and their post-biotic metabolites in improving overall health status of man and animals, is discussed. It is a comprehensive compilation useful for researchers, academics, veterinarians and students in the field of microbiology, food technology and biotechnology.

Multiple demographic or economic parameters contribute to the origin of emerging infections, for example: poverty, urbanization, climate change, conflicts and population migrations. All these factors are a challenge to assess the impact (present and future) of parasitic diseases on public health. The intestine is a major target of these infections; it is a nutrient-rich environment harbouring a complex and dynamic population of 100 trillion microbes: the microbiome. Most researches on the microbiome focus on bacteria, which share the gut ecosystem with a population of uni- and multi cellular eukaryotic organisms that may prey on them. Our interest focuses on the families of eukaryotic microbes inhabiting the intestine, called "intestinal eukaryome", that include fungi, protists and helminths. Knowledge on the reciprocal influence between the microbiome and the eukaryome, and on their combined impact on homeostasis and intestinal diseases is scanty and can be considered as an important emerging field. Furthermore, the factors that differentiate pathogenic eukaryotes from commensals are still unknown. This book presents an overview of the science presented and discussed in the First Eukaryome Congress held from October 16th to 18th, 2019 at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. This book covers the following topics: Phylogenetic, prevalence, and diversity of intestinal eukaryotic microbes; and their (still enigmatic) historical evolution and potential contributions to mucosal immune homeostasis. Integrative biology to study the molecular cell biology of parasite-host interactions and the multiple parameters underlining the infectious process. The exploitation of tissue engineering and microfluidics to establish three-dimensional (3D) systems that help to understand homeostasis and pathological processes in the human intestine.

This book provides useful information on microbial physiology and metabolism. The key aspects covered are prokaryotic diversity, growth physiology, basic metabolic pathways and their regulation, metabolic diversity with details of various unique pathways. Another focus area is stress physiology with details on varying environmental stresses, signal transduction, adaptation and survival. For instructional purposes, the book provides case studies, interesting facts, techniques etc. which help in showcasing the inter-disciplinary nature and bridge the gap between various aspects of applied microbiology.

This volume includes contributions by the leading experts in the field of yeast aging. Budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and other fungal organisms provide models for aging research that are relevant to organismic aging and to the aging processes occurring in the human body. Replicative aging, in which only the mother cell ages while the daughter cell resets the clock to zero is a model for the aging of stem cell populations in humans, while chronological aging (measured by survival in stationary phase) is a model for the aging processes in postmitotic cells (for instance, neurons of the brain). Most mechanisms of aging are studied in yeast. Among them, this book discusses: mitochondrial theories of aging, emphasizing oxidative stress and retrograde responses; the role of autophagy and mitophagy; the relationship of apoptosis to aging processes; the role of asymmetric segregation of damage in replicative aging; the role of replication stress; and the role of the cytoskeleton in aging. Modern methods of yeast genetics and genomics are described that can be used to search for aging-specific functions in a genome-wide unbiased fashion. The similarities in the pathology of senescence (studied in yeast) and of cancer cells, including genome instability, are examined.

Much has happened in the brewing industry since the last edition of this book was published in 1996. In particular, there has been substantial con solidation of larger brewing companies as major multinational concerns, and at the other end of the spectrum the microbrewing scene in various parts of the world has become established as a sustainable enterprise. For those involved in the scientific and technical aspects of fermented bever age production the changes have been no less daunting. The complete genome sequence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been determined and studies are underway in numerous laboratories throughout the world to unravel the expression of the genome (transcriptomics and proteomics) and understand exactly "how a yeast works. " This will undoubtedly con tribute to our understanding of yeast fermentation and flavor generation in a revolutionary way because it will enable the simultaneous monitor ing of all genes in the organism during the fermentation. In Chapters 2 and 3 of this volume Colin Slaughter and John Hammond bring the reader up-to-date in this rapidly moving area and cover the remarkable achievements of modern biochemistry and molecular biology. lain Campbell has also revised the systematics of culture and wild yeasts in Chapter 7. The other major technical change since the last edition of this book is the introduction of molecular characterization and detection of microor ganisms based largely, but not exclusively, on the polymerase chain reac tion (PCR) for amplification of specific DNA fragments."

Rice is the major staple food in Asia, and food security means rice security for most Asians. By the year 2025, we need to produce about 60% more rice than we do today to meet the growing demand. Efficient use of inputs is vital to safely produce the additional food from limited resources with minimal impact on the environment. This book reviews emerging knowledge-intensive technologies and decision aids for improved nutrient management in rice, technology adoption constraints at the farm level, and innovative approaches for field evaluation and promotion of new technologies to farmers. It is highly useful to rice scientists and development workers, students of agronomy, soil science, and plant nutrition, and crop consultants and extension workers in rice all over the world.

"Laboratory Protocols in Fungal Biology" presents the latest techniques in fungal biology. This book analyzes information derived through real experiments, and focuses on cutting edge techniques in the field. The book comprises 57 chapters contributed from internationally recognised scientists and researchers. Experts in the field have provided up-to-date protocols covering a range of frequently used methods in fungal biology. Almost all important methods available in the area of fungal biology viz. taxonomic keys in fungi; histopathological and microscopy techniques; proteomics methods; genomics methods; industrial applications and related techniques; and bioinformatics tools in fungi are covered and complied in one book. Chapters include introductions to their respective topics, list of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting. Each chapter is self-contained and written in a style that enables the reader to progress from elementary concepts to advanced research techniques. "Laboratory Protocols in Fungal Biology" is a valuable tool for both beginner research workers and experienced professionals.

Coming Soon in the "Fungal Biology" series:

Goyal, Manoharachary / "Future Challenges in Crop Protection Against Fungal Pathogens"

Martin, Garcia-Estrada, Zeilinger / "Biosynthesis and Molecular Genetics of Fungal Secondary Metabolites"

Zeilinger, Martin, Garcia-Estrada / "Biosynthesis and Molecular Genetics of Fungal Secondary Metabolites, Volume 2"

van den Berg, Maruthachalam / "Genetic Transformation Systems in Fungi"

Schmoll, Dattenbock / "Gene Expression Systems in Fungi"

Dahms / "Advanced Microscopy in Mycology ""

Regularly reviewing the "state-of-the-art" developments in the antiviral drug research field, this latest volume spans the conceptual design and chemical synthesis of new antiviral compounds. It discusses their structure-activity relationship, mechanism and targets of action, pharmacological behavior, antiviral activity spectrum, and therapeutic potential for clinical use.

This unique book addresses the statistical modelling and analysis of microbiome data using cutting-edge R software. It includes real-world data from the authors' research and from the public domain, and discusses the implementation of R for data analysis step by step. The data and R computer programs are publicly available, allowing readers to replicate the model development and data analysis presented in each chapter, so that these new methods can be readily applied in their own research. The book also discusses recent developments in statistical modelling and data analysis in microbiome research, as well as the latest advances in next-generation sequencing and big data in methodological development and applications. This timely book will greatly benefit all readers involved in microbiome, ecology and microarray data analyses, as well as other fields of research.

Highly recommended by CHOICE, Oct 2018 Extremophiles are nature's ultimate survivors, thriving in environments ranging from the frozen Antarctic to abyssal hot hydrothermal vents. Their lifeforms span bacteria to fishes, and are categorized as halophiles from hypersaline environments, acidophiles from acidic waters, psychrophiles from cold habitats, and thermophiles from warm waters. Extremophiles: From Biology to Biotechnology comprehensively covers the basic biology, physiology, habitats, secondary metabolites for bioprospecting, and biotechnology of these extreme survivors. The chapters focus on the novel genetic and biochemical traits that lend these organisms to biotechnological applications. Couples studies of marine extremophile biology/genomics and extremophile culture for biotechnological applications with the latest advances in bio-prospecting and bio-product development Includes practical experiments that a laboratory can use to replicate extreme habitats for research purposes Presents latest advances in extremophile genomics to give the reader a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of extremophiles Offers insights into the production of commercially important extremozymes, carotenoids, bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites of medicinal value. This unique guide serves as a resource for biotechnologists who wish to explore extremophiles for their commercial potential, as well as a valuable reference for teaching undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students.

This volume covers the latest experimental protocols used by researchers to study the recently emerged fungal pathogen of humans, Candida auris, and also explores the pathogen's antifungal resistance, virulence, and pathogenicity. The chapters in this book cover topics such as the identification of C. auris in clinic samples by PCR and mass spectrometry; molecular typing to identify clade affiliation; genetic manipulation; genome analysis by bioinformatics; and phenotypic characterization using various biochemical, mass spectrometry, microscopy, and flow cytometry approaches. 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. Cutting-edge and practical, Candida auris: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers interested in learning more about this developing field.

This text identifies common mistakes and challenges in food preservation in developing countries, offering solutions which can play a significant role in reducing food waste in these countries. The book offers critical analysis of current preservation techniques for fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, and grain, identifying key mistakes and challenges and proposing effective solutions. Feasibility tests for implementing these innovative approaches are also presented. A well-rounded study of the various causes of food waste in developing nations, this book plays a key role in bringing effective food preservation methods to the developing world. Food Preservation in Developing Countries: Challenges and solutions studies common food preservation techniques for fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, dairy, and grains, pinpointing the areas where waste occurs due to transportation, contamination, and low quality post processing. Innovative potential solutions are presented, including the feasibility of implementation of these advanced preservation techniques. The book takes a critical look at barriers to proper food preservation in these regions and offers practical solutions which can be implemented in a cost effective and timely manner. With almost one third of the world's food supply wasted each year and 13% of the world's inhabitants going hungry, this is an incredibly important and timely text.

Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field encompassing microbiology, bichemistry, genetics, molecular biology, chemistry, immunology, cell and tissue culture physiology. This book describes the recent developments in these areas. Current research topics such as Quorum sensing, Integrons, Phytomining are discussed, which would serve as an excellent reference work for both academicians and researchers in the field.

Microbial Biotechnology: An Interdisciplinary Approach covers all aspects of microbial biotechnology, whilst bringing the field of functional foods and microbial bioremediation to the fore. Recounting the interdisciplinary scope of biotechnology and its discoveries, this text presents innovative ideas in the field of emerging biotechnology providing the scientific community with a much needed new resource. Acting as an important means of information for researchers working in interdisciplinary areas of research, this text: Envisages the recent ideas of novel findings in microbiology Provides insight into the various interdisciplinary research avenues Uniquely covers a diverse range of topics Presents groundbreaking new findings in key areas of modern biotechnology Enhanced and straight forward descriptions cater to the needs of researchers working in areas of bacterial exopolysaccharides, microalgal proteomics, applications of Microbial L-asparaginases, novel aspects of bioremediation, Probiotics and their impact on society, and microbial community analysis in waste water treatment techniques. It will also prove crucial reading for senior undergraduate and graduate students and professionals working in areas of modern biotechnology.

Using a multidisciplinary approach, Human Respiratory Viral Infections is set at the level between the definitive reference work and an essential clinical manual. Exploring recent advances in human respiratory viral research, the text builds on the basic sciences of epidemiology, virology, molecular biology, and immunology to cover clinical diagnosis, mechanism of pathogenesis, manifestations of disease, impact, treatment, and management strategies. Provides a comprehensive review of all the major human respiratory viral infections Supplies a detailed description of the anatomy of the respiratory system Discusses the salient features of specific viruses Examines the latest diagnostic tools Covers risk factors associated with incidence of respiratory viral infections in children and adults in different occupational and environmental settings Presenting the latest knowledge in human respiratory viral infections, this text will be immensely valuable for pulmonologists, biomedical scientists, research scholars, virologists, vaccinologists, immunologists, clinicians, pharmacologists, and public health specialists.

This book focuses on various types of bioactive compounds, including secondary metabolites, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, flavonoids, peptides/proteins, carotenoid pigments, quinones, terpenes, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and presents an overview of their nutraceutical activities. It covers the current status and future potential of food compounds, as well as extraction technologies for bioactives derived from plant, fungi and marine-derived bioactive agents. Finally, health-promoting effects of plant, fungi and marine-derived bioactive agents are discussed. Chapters come from top researchers in this area from around the globe. The volume caters to the needs of undergraduate and post-graduate students in the area of food biotechnology, food bioprocessing, biotechnology, food engineering, etc., and also contains information pertinent to researchers.

This updated second edition of Molecular Typing in Bacterial Infections, presented in two volumes, covers both common and neglected bacterial pathogenic agents, highlighting the most effective methods for their identification and classification in the light of their specific epidemiology. New chapters have been included to add new species, as well as another view of how bacterial typing can be used. These books are valuable resources for the molecular typing of infectious disease agents encountered in both research and hospital clinical laboratory settings, as well as in culture collections and in the industry. Each of the 21 chapters provides an overview of specific molecular approaches to efficiently detect and type different bacterial pathogens. The chapters are grouped in five parts, covering respiratory and urogenital pathogens (Volume I), and gastrointestinal and healthcare-associated pathogens, as well as a new group of vector-borne and Biosafety level 3 pathogens including a description of typing methods used in the traditional microbiology laboratory in comparison to molecular methods of epidemiology (Volume II). Comprehensive and updated, Molecular Typing in Bacterial Infections provides state-of-the-art methods for accurate diagnosis and for the correct classification of different types which will prove to be critical in unravelling the transmission routes of human pathogens.