While working in the laboratory of Professor Dr. Jacob Reinert at the Freie Universitat Berlin (1974-1976), I had the opportunity to become deeply involved in studying the intricacies of the fascinating phenomenon of somatic embryogenesis in plant cells and protoplasts. In numerous stimu lating discussions with Professor Reinert on this subject, I was fully convinced that somatic embryogenesis would become one of the most important areas of study, not only regarding basic and fundamental aspects, but also for its application in crop improvement. During the last decade, we have witnessed tremendous interest and achievements in the use of somatic embryos for the production of synthetic seeds, for micro propagation, genetic transformation, cryopreservation, and conservation of germplasm. The en masse production of somatic embryos in the bioreactors has facilitated some of these studies. Somatic embryos have now been induced in more than 300 plant species belonging to a wide range offamilies. It was therefore felt that a compilation ofliterature/state of the art on this subject was necessary. Thus, two volumes on Somatic Embryo genesis and Synthetic Seed have been compiled, which contain 65 chapters contributed by International experts. Somatic Embryogenesis and Synthetic Seed I comprises 31 chapters, arranged in 3 sections: Section I Commitment of the cell to somatic embryogenesis; early events; anatomy; molecular basis; gene expression; role of polyamines; machine vision analysis of somatic embryos. Section II Applications of somatic embryos; technology of synthetic seed; fluid drilling; micropropagation; genetic transfor mation through somatic embryos; cryopreservation.

Ion-exchange Technology II: Applications presents an overview of the numerous industrial applications of ion-exchange materials.

In particular, this volume focuses on the use of ion-exchange materials in various fields including chemical and biochemical separations, water purification, biomedical science, toxic metal recovery and concentration, waste water treatment, catalysis, alcohol beverage, sugar and milk technologies, pharmaceuticals industry and metallurgical industries.

This title is a highly valuable source not only to postgraduate students and researchers but also to industrial R&D specialists in chemistry, chemical, and biochemical technology as well as to engineers and industrialists.

1. A. HOWELL School ofChemical Engineering, University ofBath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK, BA2 7AY 1.1 WHAT IS A MEMBRANE PROCESS? Every day over 20 million litres of brackish water are pumped out of the ground near Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and passed through thin sheets of cellulose acetate known as reverse osmosis membranes before being used as part of the city's water supply. In St Maurice les Chateauneuf, France three million litres a day of ground water are ultrafiltered to supply the city and on test sites in Australia settled sewage is being disinfected by being passed through microfiltration membranes. Many of the foods we eat and beverages we drink have used membranes during their processing. Orange juice can be concentrated by membranes to make a concentrate which retains more of the flavour than does evaporation. Milk can be concentrated slightly by means of a membrane before making a cheese in a process which produces no whey. Gases rising from the ground in a waste tip can be piped away and the carbon dioxide separated from the methane by a membrane process allowing the methane then to be used as a fuel, simultaneously saving energy and reducing the greenhouse effect since methane is more effective as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

This book provides a comprehensive, state-of-the-art review of microfluidic approaches and applications in pharmatechnology. It is appropriate for students with an interdisciplinary interest in both the pharmaceutical and engineering fields, as well as process developers and scientists in the pharmaceutical industry. The authors cover new and advanced technologies for screening, production by micro reaction technology and micro bioreactors, small-scale processing of drug formulations, and drug delivery that will meet the need for fast and effective screening methods for drugs in different formulations, as well as the production of drugs in very small volumes. Readers will find detailed chapters on the materials and techniques for fabrication of microfluidic devices, microbioreactors, microsystems for emulsification, on-chip fabrication of drug delivery systems, respiratory drug delivery and delivery through microneedles, organs-on-chip, and more.

A mixture of two polymers, or one polymer and a salt, in an aqueous medium separates into two phases: this phenomenon is useful in biotechn- ogy for product separations. Separation of biological molecules and particles in these aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) was initiated over 40 years ago by P.-A. Albertsson, and later proved to be of immense utility in biochemical and cell biological research. A boost in the application of ATPS was seen when problems of separations in biotechnology processes were encountered. Its simplicity, biocompatibility, and amenability to easy scaleup operations make the use of ATPS very attractive for large-scale bioseparations. Despite the advantages ATPS enjoys over other separation techniques, the application of two-phase systems has for a long time been confined to selected labora- ries. Recent years have, however, shown a trend in which increasing numbers of researchers employ two-phase partitioning techniques in both basic and applied research."

In this thesis, applications of aminoacylation ribozymes named flexizymes are described. Flexizymes have the following unique characteristics: (i) substrate RNA is recognized by two consecutive base pairs between the 3'-end of substrate RNA and the 3'-end of the flexizyme; (ii) these base pairs can be substituted with other base pairs; and (iii) various activated amino acids can be used as substrates including both canonical and noncanonical amino acids. This flexible aminoacylation of RNAs by flexizymes was used to label endogenous tRNAs to be removed, and in vitro selection using the tRNA-depleted library enabled the discovery of the novel interaction between the microRNA precursor and metabolites. Flexizymes are also used to prepare various aminoacyl-tRNAs bearing mutations at the 3'-end to engineer the translation machinery and to develop the orthogonal translation machinery. The first part of the research demonstrated that SELEX is appropriate for discovering the interaction between small RNA and ligands, and suggested that more RNA motif binding to small molecules exists in small RNAs. The second part opened a door to new opportunities for in vitro synthetic biology involving the engineering of the genetic codes and translation machineries. This research also indicated the great potential of aminoacylation by flexizymes to be applied in various fields of RNA research, which is beneficial for RNA researchers.

Mostindustrialbiotechnologicalprocessesareoperatedempirically.Oneofthe major di?culties of applying advanced control theories is the highly nonlinear nature of the processes. This book examines approaches based on arti?cial intelligencemethods, inparticular, geneticalgorithmsandneuralnetworks, for monitoring, modelling and optimization of fed-batch fermentation processes. The main aim of a process control is to maximize the ?nal product with minimum development and production costs. This book is interdisciplinary in nature, combining topics from biotechn- ogy, arti?cial intelligence, system identi?cation, process monitoring, process modelling and optimal control. Both simulation and experimental validation are performed in this study to demonstrate the suitability and feasibility of proposed methodologies. An online biomass sensor is constructed using a - current neural network for predicting the biomass concentration online with only three measurements (dissolved oxygen, volume and feed rate). Results show that the proposed sensor is comparable or even superior to other sensors proposed in the literature that use more than three measurements. Biote- nological processes are modelled by cascading two recurrent neural networks. It is found that neural models are able to describe the processes with high accuracy. Optimization of the ?nal product is achieved using modi?ed genetic algorithms to determine optimal feed rate pro?les. Experimental results of the corresponding production yields demonstrate that genetic algorithms are powerful tools for optimization of highly nonlinear systems. Moreover, a c- bination of recurrentneural networks and genetic algorithms provides a useful and cost-e?ective methodology for optimizing biotechnological process

In continuation of Volumes 8, 9, 22, and 23, this new volume deals with the regeneration of plants from isolated protoplasts and genetic transformation in various species of "Actinidia," "Allocasuarina," "Anthurium," "Antirrhinum," "Asparagus," "Beta," "Brassica," "Carica," "Casuarina," "Cyphomandra," "Eucalyptus," "Ipomoea," "Larix," "Limonium," "Liriodendron," "Malus," "Musa," "Physcomitrella," "Physalis," "Picea," "Rosa," "Tagetes," "Triticum," and "Ulmus."
These studies reflect the far-reaching implications of protoplast technology in genetic engineering of plants. The book contains a wealth of useful information for advanced students, teachers, and researchers in the field of plant tissue culture, molecular biology, genetic engineering, plant breeding, and general biotechnology.

This book covers the state-of-the-art research on molecular biology assays and molecular techniques enabled or enhanced by microfluidic platforms. Topics covered include microfluidic methods for cellular separations and single cell studies, droplet-based approaches to study protein expression and forensics, and microfluidic in situ hybridization for RNA analysis. Key molecular biology studies using model organisms are reviewed in detail. This is an ideal book for students and researchers in the microfluidics and molecular biology fields as well as engineers working in the biotechnology industry. This book also: Reviews exhaustively the latest techniques for single-cell genetic, epigenetic, metabolomic, and proteomic analysis Illustrates microfluidic approaches for inverse metabolic engineering, as well as analysis of circulating exosomes Broadens readers' understanding of microfluidics convection-based PCR technology, microfluidic RNA-seq, and microfluidics for robust mobile diagnostics

This volume is designed to provide a framework for studying the public policy implications of a broad range of biomedical technologies. Each chapter focuses on the policy issues and political activities surrounding a single technology. Contributors address such issues as new reproductive technologies, animal experimentation, contraceptive drugs, genetic markers and technology and the aging society.

Recent advances in gene technology, plant transformation, and the growing knowledge of DNA sequences of plants as well as of their most important parasites and symbionts offer many interesting prospects for the breeding of new crop varieties. This was not only recognized by the major seed companies, but also by the governments of developing countries and by worldwide foundations supporting their agriculture. The know-how gained by the seed companies on crops important for the agricultural industry in developed countries could easily be provided for free to the international and national organizations dedicated to development of crops important in the third world. Results obtained worldwide become easily available to everybody through the scientific literature. Likewise, agricultural research in, e.g., the USA or Europe profits from the natural plant gene pool available in the third world. All this definitely provides for the possibility of fast change, new prosperity and security of food supply in the whole world, if properly applied. The fast development also asks for ethical and sociopolitical considerations, whereby not doing the right can be as much a mistake as doing the wrong.

In the past there were many attempts to change natural foodstuffs into high-value products. Cheese, bread, wine, and beer were pro duced, traditionally using microorganisms as biological tools. Later, people influenced the natural process of evolution by artificial selection. In the 19th century, observations regarding the depen dence of growth and reproduction on the nutrient supply led to the establishment of agricultural chemistry. Simultaneously, efforts were directed at defining the correlation between special forms of morphological differentiation and related biochemical processes. New experimental systems were developed after the discovery of phytohormones and their possible use as regulators of growth and differentiation. In these systems, intact plants or only parts of them are cultivated under axenic conditions. These methods, called "in vitro techniques," were introduced to modern plant breeding. In the field of basic research, plant cell cultures were increasingly developed and the correlations between biochemical processes and visible cell variations were explored further. It should be possible to manipulate the basic laws of regulation and the respective biochemi cal processes should be regarded as being independent of morpho logical processes of plant development."

Natural Products, broadly defined as high value chemical entities derived from plants or microbial sources, have been known and exploited for many years. In recent years, as the need for higher potency and predictability of such products has increased, more sophisticated concentration and isolation procedures have been developed. With the passage of time, such procedures have been rationalized in terms of scientific principles but, in general, theory has followed behind practice, leading at any given time to an absence from the literature of methods which are truly state of the art. Downstream Processing of Natural Products: A Practical Handbook is a highly practical manual which addresses this issue, and guides researchers and industrial workers through the many potential pitfalls of natural product isolation. The contributors to this volume, all of whom have wide practical experience in this field, present state--of--the--art techniques and observations. The three main stages of natural product purification are covered, namely product release, capture, and purification, and both proteins and secondary metabolites are covered. There is special mention of the requirements of the regulatory authorities with respect to Good Manufacturing Practice, and practical guidance is given on scale--up procedures and process scale instrumentation. Downstream Processing of Natural Products: A Practical Handbook will provide essential practical guidance to all those involved in natural product isolation. This includes academic and industrial researchers, postgraduate students and technicians working in the biotechnology field.

An outstanding feature of this book is a collection of state-of-the-art reviews written by leading researchers in the nanomechanics of carbon nanotubes, nanocrystalline materials, biomechanics and polymer nanocomposites. The structure and properties of carbon nanotubes, polycrystalline metals, and coatings are discussed in great details. The book is an exceptional resource on multi-scale modelling of metals, nanocomposites, MEMS materials and biomedical applications. An extensive bibliography concerning all these topics is included. Highlights on bio-materials, MEMS, and the latest multi-scale methods (e.g., molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo) are presented. Numerous illustrations of inter-atomic potentials, nanotube deformation and fracture, grain rotation and growth in solids, ceramic coating structures, blood flows and cell adhesion are discussed.
This book provides a comprehensive review of latest developments in the analysis of mechanical phenomena in nanotechnology and bio-nanotechnology.

Increasing population and industrialization are the key pollutant contributors in water bodies. The wastes generated by industries are highly hazardous for humans and the ecosystem and require a comprehensive and effective treatment before being discharged into water bodies. Over the years, many up gradations have been introduced in traditional water treatment methods which were expensive and ineffective especially for removal of toxic pollutants. Phycoremediation has been gaining attention due to its mutual benefit in wastewater treatment and for valuable algae biomass production. Wastewater, especially sewage and industrial effluents, is rich in pathogenic organisms, organic and inorganic compounds and heavy metals that adversely affect human and aquatic life. Microalgae use these inorganic compounds and heavy metals for their growth. In addition, they also reduce pathogenic organisms and release oxygen to be used by bacteria for decomposition of organic compounds in a secondary treatment. In this book, the potential of microalgae in wastewater treatment, their benefits, strategies, and challenges are discussed. The increasing need of finding innovative, low-cost, low-energy, sustainable and eco-friendly solutions for wastewater treatment makes the publication of a book on phycoremediation timely and appropriate. Features: (1) Deals with the most emerging aspects of algal research with special reference to phycoremediation. (2) Studies in depth diversity, mutations, genomics and metagenomics study (3) An eco-physiology, culturing, microalgae for food and feed, biofuel production, harvesting of microalgae, separation and purification of biochemicals.

This ASI brought together a diverse group of experts who span virology, biology, biophysics, chemistry, physics and engineering. Prominent lecturers representing world renowned scientists from nine (9) different countries, and students from around the world representing eighteen (18) countries, participated in the ASI organized by Professors Joseph Puglisi (Stanford University, USA) and Alexander Arseniev (Moscow, RU). The central hypothesis underlying this ASI was that interdisciplinary research, merging principles of physics, chemistry and biology, can drive new discovery in detecting and fighting chemical and bioterrorism agents, lead to cleaner environments and improved energy sources, and help propel development in NATO partner countries. At the end of the ASI students had an appreciation of how to apply each technique to their own particular research problem and to demonstrate that multifaceted approaches and new technologies are needed to solve the biological challenges of our time. The course succeeded in training a new generation of biologists and chemists who will probe the molecular basis for life and disease.

Fantasies and dreams have their rightful place in science, and sometimes they turn into reality. Regeneration of hybrid plants through protoplast fusion is one such dream come true. In the early 1970s I shared the pioneering excitement in the field of protoplast technology at the Second International Congress of Plant Tissue Culture held in Strasbourg, France. Subsequently, I participated in three international conferences devoted to plant protoplasts, in Salamanca, Spain (1972), Versailles, France (1972), and Nottingham, England (1975). At Versailles Dr. P.S. Carlson presented his work on the successful regeneration of somatic hybrids between Nicotiana glauca and Nicotiana langsdorfii. The enthusi- asm shown by the participants was sufficient indication of the bright future of somatic hybridization. On my return from Versailles, I gathered my thoughts and prepared a concept paper on Potentials of Protoplast Culture Work in Agriculture which was published in Euphytica (Bajaj 1974). The studies on protoplast fusion and somatic hybridization then gained momentum and active work started in many laboratories. Very significant work was done by Melchers et al. (1978) who obtained a somatic hybrid between potato and tomato, calling it "Pomato".

This Volume describes methods for investigating microbes in their natural environment and how to obtain representative samples and preserve them for subsequent analyses. Chapters are arranged according to the environments under investigation, which include: oil reservoirs, fracking fluids, aquifers, coal beds, oil sands and their tailing ponds, lakes, rivers, leaves, polar seas and ice, the sea-surface microlayer, mud flats, microbialites, and deep-sea fauna. A variety of downstream analytical procedures are described, including: nucleic-acid extraction and preparation for high-throughput sequencing, fluorescence in-situ hybridisation, and cultivation of aerobic and anaerobic hydrocarbon-degrading microbes. Though most chapters focus on hydrocarbon-rich environments, many of the approaches used are generic, and as such will be of value to researchers embarking on studies of microbes and their processes in the field. Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology Protocols There are tens of thousands of structurally different hydrocarbons, hydrocarbon derivatives and lipids, and a wide array of these molecules are required for cells to function. The global hydrocarbon cycle, which is largely driven by microorganisms, has a major impact on our environment and climate. Microbes are responsible for cleaning up the environmental pollution caused by the exploitation of hydrocarbon reservoirs and will also be pivotal in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels by providing biofuels, plastics and industrial chemicals. Gaining an understanding of the relevant functions of the wide range of microbes that produce, consume and modify hydrocarbons and related compounds will be key to responding to these challenges. This comprehensive collection of current and emerging protocols will facilitate acquisition of this understanding and exploitation of useful activities of such microbes.

Printing Peptide Arrays with a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Chip, by Felix F. Loeffler, Yun-Chien Cheng, Bastian Muenster, Jakob Striffler, Fanny C. Liu, F. Ralf Bischoff, Edgar Doersam, Frank Breitling, Alexander Nesterov-Mueller. Protein Engineering as a Tool for the Development of Novel Bio production Systems, by Uwe T. Bornscheuer. Compartmentalization and Metabolic Channeling for Multienzymatic Biosynthesis: Practical Strategies and Modeling Approaches, by U. Jandt, C. You, Y. H.-P. Zhang, A.-P. Zeng. Cell-Free Systems: Functional Modules for Synthetic and Chemical Biology, by Marlitt Stech, Andreas K. Brodel, Robert B. Quast, Rita Sachse, Stefan Kubick. New Bio production Systems: From Molecular Circuits to Novel Reactor Concepts in Cell-Free Biotechnology, by Steffen Rupp. Cell-free Biosystems in the Production of Electricity and Bioenergy, by Zhiguang Zhu, Tsz Kin Tam, Y.-H. Percival Zhang. In Vitro Multi enzymatic Reaction Systems for Biosynthesis, by Ines Ardao, Ee Taek Hwang, An-Ping Zeng. Directed Multistep Biocatalysis Using Tailored Permeabilized Cells, by Steffen Krauser, Christian Weyler, Lisa Katharina Blass, Elmar Heinzle."

A unique, pathbreaking collection that provides the first, detailed and comprehensive analysis of the implications of new health technologies for society, the delivery of health care, and the very meaning of health itself. It is based on new, critical social science research integrated according to core themes, making it accessible and engaging. It will be of especial value to students and researchers in Social Science, Health Studies and medical schools.

This book focuses on recent developments of Pichia pastoris as a recombinant protein production system. Highlighted topics include a discussion on the use of fermentors to grow Pichia pastoris, information on the O- and N-linked glycosylation, methods for labeling Pichia pastoris expressed proteins for structural studies, and the introduction of mutations in Pichia pastoris genes by the methods of restriction enzyme-mediated integration (REMI). Each chapter presents cutting-edge and cornerstone protocols for utilizing P. pastoris as a model recomibinant protein production system. This volume fully updates and expands upon the first edition.