This book provides up-to-date information on the state of the art in applications of biotechnological and microbiological tools for protecting the environment. Written by leading international experts, it discusses potential applications of biotechnological and microbiological techniques in solid waste management, wastewater treatment, agriculture, energy and environmental health. This second volume of book "Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology," covers two main topics: bioenergy and environmental health, exploring the latest developments from around the globe regarding applications of biotechnology and microbiology for converting wastes into valuable products and at the same time reducing the environmental pollution resulting from disposal. Wherever possible it also includes real-world examples. Further, it offers advice on which procedures should be followed to achieve satisfactory results, and provides insights that will promote the transition to the sustainable utilization of various waste products.

This book focuses on threats, especially contaminants, to drinking water and the supply system, especially in municipalities but also in industrial and even residential settings. The safety, security, and suitability landscape can be described as dynamic and complex stemming from necessity and hence culpability due to the emerging threats and risks, vis-a-vis globalization resulting in new forms of contaminants being used due to new technologies. The book provides knowledge and guidance for engineers, scientists, designers, researchers, and students who are involved in water, sustainability, and study of security issues. This book starts out with basics of water usage, current statistics, and an overview ofwater resources. The book then introduces different scenarios of safety and security and areas that researchers need to focus. Following that, the book presents different types of contaminants - inadvertent, intentional, or incidental. The next section presents different methodologies of contamination sensing/detection and remediation strategies as per guidance and standards set globally. The book then concludes with selected chapters on water management, including critical infrastructure that is critical to maintaining safe water supplies to cities and municipalities. Each chapter includes descriptive information for professionals in their respective fields. The breadth of chapters offers insights into how science (physical, natural, and social) and technology can support new developments to manage the complexity resident within the evolving threat and risk landscape.

Microbes play a major role in the degradation of various pollutants. Therefore, microbes find potential application in the area of energy and environmental technology. The book provides in-depth literature on the topics of environmental and industrial importance. It is compiled to explore the application of microbe used in the degradation of aflatoxin, polymers, biomass into fuel, disinfectants, food products, xenobiotic compounds, lipids, steroids, organic pollutants, proteins, oil waste, and wastewater pollutants. This book will be of interest to teachers, researchers, scientists, and capacity builders. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of microbiology and environmental sciences. National and international remediation and restoration scientists, policymakers will also find this to be a useful read.

This book examines the commercial role of various microbial polysaccharides and recent advances in their production. Offering an overview of the physiological role, biosynthetic pathways and regulatory mechanisms, it also explores the current challenges regarding bioprocessing for the production of polysaccharides.

Fundamentals of Microbiology, Twelfth Edition is designed for the introductory microbiology course with an emphasis on the health sciences. It consolidates the important concepts and ideas necessary for mastery by students entering the health care field as a nurse or other allied health professional. Over many editions of Fundamentals of Microbiology, the textbook has reflected flexibility by evolving in response to the rapidly changing field of microbiology and the changing learning needs of students. The Twelfth Edition has been updated with the latest scientific and education research written with a global perspective on microbiology and infectious disease. Along with these revisions, the visual aspects of the text have been improved to make the understanding of difficult complex concepts more approachable and the figures more engaging. This the first textbook to include all the fundamental microbiological disease aspects of COVID-19 in context with chapter key concepts.

This book provides a comprehensive examination of the role of gut microbiome/microflora in nutrition, metabolism, disease prevention and health issues, including farm animal health and food value, and human gastrointestinal health and immunity. Indigenous microbiotas, particularly the gut microflora/microbiome, are an essential component in the modern concept of human and animal health. The diet and lifestyle of the host and environment have direct impact on gut microflora and the patterns of gut microbial colonization associated with health and diseases have been documented. Contributing authors cover the impact of gut microbiome in farm animal health, and explore the possibility of modulating the human gut microbiome with better animal products to prevent human diseases, including endemic and emerging diseases such as obesity, cancer and cardiac diseases. Dieting plan and control methods are examined, with attention paid to balance dieting with natural food and drink components. In addition, the role of gut microbiota in enteric microbial colonization and infections in farm animals is also discussed. The volume also explores the possibility of improving human health by modulating the microbiome with better food, including bio-active foods and appropriate forms of intake. Throughout the chapters, authors examine cutting edge research and technology, as well as future directions for better practices regarding emerging issues, such as the safety and production of organic food.

This book provides up-to-date information on the state of the art in applications of biotechnological and microbiological tools for protecting the environment. Written by leading international experts, it discusses potential applications of biotechnological and microbiological techniques in solid waste management, wastewater treatment, agriculture, energy and environmental health. This first volume of the book "Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology," covers three main topics: Solid waste management, Agriculture utilization and Water treatment technology, exploring the latest developments from around the globe regarding applications of biotechnology and microbiology for converting wastes into valuable products and at the same time reducing the environmental pollution resulting from disposal. Wherever possible it also includes real-world examples. Further, it offers advice on which procedures should be followed to achieve satisfactory results, and provides insights that will promote the transition to the sustainable utilization of various waste products.

This book brings together the most recent advances from leading experts in the burgeoning field of environmental biotechnology. The contributing chapters adopt a multidisciplinary approach related to environmental aspects of agriculture, industry, pharmaceutical sciences and drug developments from plant and microbial sources, biochemical chemical techniques/methods/protocols involved in different areas of environmental biotechnology. Book also highlights recent advancements, newly emerging technologies, and thought provoking approaches from different parts of the world. It also discusses potential future prospects associated with some frontier development of biotechnological research related to the environment. This book will be of interest to teachers, researchers, biotechnologists, capacity builders and policymakers, and will serve as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of biotechnology, microbiology and environmental sciences.

This book covers the contemporary environmental issues faced by life on the planet and the role planetary microbiomes play in such issues. Providing insights on the net favorable and adverse effect of microbial processes, this volume covers both the spontaneous and anthropocentric events that impact climate change and life on the planet. The book describes the ecological significance of microbiomes associated with the kingdoms Plantae and Animalia with respect to climate change, natural and anthropogenic causes of climate change, microbial interactions in nature, planetary microbiomes and food security, climate change in relation to disease epidemiology and human health and engineering microorganisms to mitigate the consequences of climate change. The individual chapters in the intended book provide both theoretical and practical exposure to the current issues and future challenges of climate change in relation to the microbiomes. This collection should serve as ready reference to the researchers working in the area to reshape their future research in addressing the challenges of global climate change.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a macromolecule that plays a central role in cell physiology: RNA molecules act as intermediates between the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), where genetic information is stored, and proteins, which perform the necessary functions within the cell. Traditionally, the structural and functional properties of RNA are closely linked to gene expression. However, RNA-based enzymes, called ribozymes, are also involved in catalysis and small RNAs regulate key cellular processes, such as cell growth, division, differentiation, aging and death. RNA is a sensitive macromolecule that can be easily damaged by environmental conditions (ultraviolet radiation, oxidative stress) and biological factors (ribonucleases, ribotoxins, CRISPR-Cas systems). Therefore, cells have developed mechanisms to protect and/or repair RNA molecules. This book presents an overview of the biology of RNA damage, protection and repair in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Individual chapters cover the expression regulation, enzymology and physiological role of such systems, and link them to important human diseases such as cancer and degenerative diseases.

For an active scientist, tracking down the data needed for planning and carrying out experiments can be time-consuming and frustrating. Now the Labfax series of reference databooks provides all the essential information required, quickly and accurately. Virology Labfax is a unique single source of reference to key data and information required by the virologist on an almost daily basis. A select team of editors and contributors have compiled this manual to provide a guide to researchers in the most important basic and applied aspects of virology. Collects in one volume an extensive range of data on a wide range of topics essential to virology and virological research. Provides a rapid and simple introduction to the many subdisciplines of virology.

Converting biomass to biofuels involves hydrolyzing cellulose to sugars using cost-intensive commercial enzymes - an expensive step that makes large-scale production economically non-viable. As such, there is a need for low-cost bioprocessing. This book critically evaluates the available bioprocessing technologies for various biofuels, and presents the latest research in the field. It also highlights the recent developments, current challenges and viable alternative approaches to reduce the overall cost of producing biofuels.

This fully revised third edition includes up-to-date topics and developments in the field, which has made tremendous strides since the publication of the second edition in 2004. Many novel techniques based on Next Generation Sequencing have sped up the analysis of fungi and major advances have been made in genome editing, leading to a deeper understanding of the genetics underlying cellular processes as well as their applicability. At the same time, the relevance of fungi is unbroken, both due to the serious threats to human health and welfare posed by fungal pests and pathogens, and to the many benefits that fungal biotechnology can offer for diverse emerging markets and processes that form the basis of the modern bioeconomy. With regard to these advances, the first section of this volume, Genetics, illustrates the basic genetic processes underlying inheritance, cell biology, metabolism and "lifestyles" of fungi. The second section, Biotechnology, addresses the applied side of fungal genetics, ranging from new tools for synthetic biology to the biotechnological potential of fungi from diverse environments. Gathering chapters written by reputed scientists, the book represents an invaluable reference guide for fungal biologists, geneticists and biotechnologists alike.

An annotated English translation of the autobiography of Polish microbiologist Ludwik Hirszfeld (1884-1954), with a focus on his contributions to international public health. Ludwik Hirszfeld (1884-1954), one of the most prominent serologists of the twentieth century, discovered the inheritance and established the nomenclature of blood groups and opened the field of human population genetics. He also carried out groundbreaking research in the genetics of disease and immunology. Following World War II, he founded Poland's first Institute of Immunology in Wroclaw, which now bears his name. His autobiographical memoir, The Story of One Life, first published in Poland in 1946, immediately became a bestseller and has been reedited several times since. It is an outstanding account of a Holocaust survivor and a writer capable of depicting the uniqueness and the tragedy of countless individuals caught up in the nightmare of 1939-45. He recollects his time as a physician in the Serbian army in 1915 and his satisfaction as a scientist who helped rebuild Poland after the Treaty ofVersailles; in so doing the contrast between the world before and the world after World War II could not be starker. Hirszfeld wrote this book while in hiding after he escaped from the Warsaw ghetto in 1943; he buried the manuscript and retrieved it only after the war. Drawing on interviews with Hirszfeld's former students and family, as well as unpublished documents, this translation is annotated and has an introduction written by two scholars with unique qualifications to understand both the immediate setting in which Hirszfeld lived his life, and the broader implications of his work to the history of medicine. Marta A. Balinska is a writer and an international consultant in public health. William H. Schneider is professor of history at Indiana University.

This volume aims to enhance the current understanding of clinical features, treatment and pathogenic aspects in necrotizing soft tissue infections. Various representative case studies are discussed to enhance the readers' understanding of these complex diseases. Necrotizing soft tissue infections are rapidly spreading infections that may cause extensive soft tissue or limb loss, multiorgan failure and are associated with a considerable fatality rate. It is undisputed that rapid diagnosis and prompt intervention is directly related to survival. The initial presentation may be limited to unspecific symptoms such as tenderness, swelling, erythema and pain. Thus, diagnosis and management are challenging due to heterogeneity in clinical presentation, in co-morbidities, in microbiological aetiology, as well as in the pathogenic mechanisms. An international and multidisciplinary consortium, INFECT, has for the last 6 years been pursuing research aimed to advance the understanding of the clinical and pathogenic aspects of these infections. A central part has been to create a comprehensive clinical registry and associated biobank which have also formed the basis for the experimental studies. Using the INFECT patient cohort, as well as an integrated systems biology approach in patients and clinically relevant experimental models, an advanced insight of diagnostic features, causative microbial agents, treatment strategies, and pathogenic mechanisms (host and bacterial disease traits and their underlying interaction network) has been obtained.

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.

The generation of well-defined nanoparticles of excellent size and shape involves physical and chemical methodologies that are complicated, expensive, and produce hazardous toxic waste that is harmful to the environment and to human health. In order to combat the disadvantages of these methods, scientists have created "the biological method," a new synthetic methodology that serves as a proper alternative to physical and chemical methodologies because of its easy utility, low cost, rapid synthesis, controlled size characteristics, controlled toxicity, and eco-friendliness. Nanobiotechnology is the science in which living matter can be manipulated and exploited to produce materials within the nano-scale. It is a multidisciplinary field of science framed by biology, chemistry, engineering, materials, and life sciences. Different biological entities can be exploited to yield biologically synthesized nanomaterials including bacteria, actinomycetes, yeast, fungi, viruses, algae, plant extracts, and agro-industrial waste extracts. This book represents a comprehensive review concerning the state of the art in nanobiotechnology, emphasizing the use of diverse biological entities in the science, and its versatile applications. It describes currently existing methodology with the latest published references, and provides safety information. It serves as the ideal guide for scientists interested in exploring nanobiotechnology.

This book includes 16 selected contributions presented at the 23rd Evolutionary Biology Meeting, which took place in Marseille in September 2019. The annual Evolutionary Biology Meetings in Marseille serve to gather leading evolutionary biologists and other scientists using evolutionary biology concepts, e.g. for medical research. The aim of these meetings is to promote the exchange of ideas to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations. Offering an up-to-date overview of recent findings in the field of evolutionary biology, this book is an invaluable source of information for scientists, teachers and advanced students.

This book highlights the latest discoveries about the nitrogen cycle in the soil. It introduces the concept of nitrogen fixation and covers important aspects of nitrogen in soil and ecology such as its distribution and occurrence, soil microflora and fauna and their role in N-fixation. The importance of plant growth-promoting microbes for a sustainable agriculture, e.g. arbuscular mycorrhizae in N-fixation, is discussed as well as perspectives of metagenomics, microbe-plant signal transduction in N-ecology and related aspects. This book enables the reader to bridge the main gaps in knowledge and carefully presents perspectives on the ecology of biotransformations of nitrogen in soil.

The Pigments from Microalgae Handbook presents the current state of knowledge on pigment production using microalgae-based processes, and covers both the scientific fundamentals of this technology and its practical applications. It addresses biology, chemistry, biochemistry, analysis and engineering aspects, as well as applications of natural pigments in photosynthetic organisms. The book also describes the analytical procedures associated with the characterization of pigments and the engineering aspects of microalgal pigment production. It considers the three major classes of pigments(chlorophylls, carotenoids and phycobiliproteins) produced and surveys the main commercial applications of these chemicals. The book offers a valuable source of information for industrial researchers and practitioners in industrial biotechnology, as it covers various engineering aspects of microalgal pigment production, such as bioreactors and bioprocesses, industrial extraction processes, and the bioeconomy of production including life-cycle assessment. The book will also be of interest to undergraduate and graduate students of biochemistry, food chemistry, and industrial microbiology.

This extensive and singular work focuses on current applications of nanotechnology in food systems. The functionality and applicability of food-related nanotechnology is covered in depth, presenting a view on the food processing, packaging,storage and safety assessment of nanotechnology in the food industry. Multiple nanostructures are covered, each with their specific ingredient choice, production strategy, functionality and application in food engineering. Individual chapters focus on current processing methods and applications of nanotechnology in foods. Nano-food Engineering Volume One brings together panels of highly accomplished experts in the field of composites, nanotechnology and chemical engineering and food technology. The work encompasses basic studies and addresses novel issues, covering all engineering aspects, opportunities and challenges and solutions of nano-foods.

This book focuses on the different kinds of biofuels and biofuel resources. Biofuels represent a major type of renewable energy. As part of a larger bio-economy, they are closely linked to agriculture, forestry and manufacturing. Biofuels have the potential to improve regional energy access, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to climate protection. Further, this alternative form of energy could revitalize the forestry and agricultural sector and promote the increased use of renewable resources as raw materials in a range of industrial processes. Efforts are continuously being made to develop economically competitive biofuels, and microbes play important roles in the production of biofuels from various bioresources. This book elaborates on recent advances in existing microbial technologies and on sustainable approaches to improving biofuel production processes. Additionally, it examines trends in, and the limitations of, existing processes and technologies. The book offers a comprehensive overview of microbial bioresources, microbial technologies, advances in bioconversion and biorefineries, as well as microbial and metabolic engineering for efficient biofuel production. Readers will also learn about the environmental impacts and the influence of climate change on the sustainability of biofuel production. This book is intended for researchers and students whose work involves biorefinery technologies, microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, environmental biology and related fields.

This book compiles the latest research on the multifarious roles of microbial enzymes, and provides an overview of microbial enzymes and biotechnologies. It discusses the use of microbial enzymes in innovative areas like nanomedicine and synthetic biotechnology, as well as the use of starch digesting enzymes and bioactive proteins as biotherapeutics, all of which have applications in modern drug discovery processes. The book also examines the concept of microbial biotransformation and protein engineering, and covers topics such as the immobilization of therapeutic enzymes, bioengineering of enzymes for bioactive compounds, the production of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes from plant raw materials, and prebiotics and probiotics. Given its multidisciplinary scope, this book will appeal to researchers and industry experts in the fields of microbiology, biotechnology and molecular medicine.

Biofuels are one of the most sustainable options when it comes to renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels. Biotechnological processes, such as microbial fermentation, are used to produce energy from waste biomass by converting organic substrates into biofuels. This book discusses practices to improve and enrich various microbial communities in order to enhance sustainable and economical biofuel production. It also evaluates various strategies to develop potential microorganisms and microbial consortia to produce highly efficient biofuels at a relatively low cost.

This book gathers selected studies on the industrial applications of glycoside hydrolases (GHs), presenting an updated classification of these enzymes, and discussing their structure, mechanisms, and various approaches to improve their catalytic efficiency. Further, it explains the various industrial applications of glycoside hydrolases in food, effluent treatment, biofuel production, and the paper and pulp industries. Lastly, the book provides a comparative analysis of glycoside hydrolases and discusses the role of metagenomics in the discovery of industrially important enzymes. As such it is a thought-provoking, instructive and informative resource for biochemists, enzymologists, molecular biologists and bioprocess technologists.