Advances in Applied Microbiology, Volume 106, continues the comprehensive reach of this widely read and authoritative review source in microbiology. Users will find invaluable references and information on a variety of areas, with this updated volume including chapters covering The role and regulation of the stress activated sigma factor SigB in the saprophytic and host-associated life stages of the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, Bacterial synthesis of Se nanoparticles, Siderophores in environmental research, Methods to reduce spoilage and microbial contamination of plant produce, Nitrogen cycling during wastewater treatment, Oxalic acid, a molecule at crossroads of bacterial-fungal interactions, and Bacterial spores, from ecology to biotechnology.

Novel Nanomaterials for Biomedical, Environmental, and Energy Applications is a comprehensive study on the cutting-edge progress in the synthesis and characterization of novel nanomaterials and their subsequent advances and uses in biomedical, environmental and energy applications. Covering novel concepts and key points of interest, this book explores the frontier applications of nanomaterials. Chapters discuss the overall progress of novel nanomaterial applications in the biomedical, environmental and energy fields, introduce the synthesis, characterization, properties and applications of novel nanomaterials, discuss biomedical applications, and cover the electrocatalytical and photothermal effects of novel nanomaterials for efficient energy applications. The book will be invaluable to academic researchers and biomedical clinicians working with nanomaterials.

This book presents a collection of studies on state-of-art techniques developed specifically for lignocellulose component derivation, and for the production of functional materials, composite polymers, carbonaceous biocatalysts, and pellets from lignocellulosic biomass, with an emphasis on using sustainable chemistry and engineering to develop innovative materials and fuels for practical application. Technological strategies for the physical processing or biological conversion of biomass for material production are also presented. All chapters were contributed by respected experts in the field from around the globe, providing a broad range of perspectives on cutting-edge applications. The book offers an ideal reference guide for academic researchers and industrial engineers in the fields of natural renewable materials, biorefinery of lignocellulose, biofuels and environmental engineering. It can also be used as a comprehensive reference source for university students in chemical engineering, material science and environmental engineering.

Biomimetics is based on nature, while technology is based on economy. One of the solutions for a sustainable society is to learn a grand design of technology from nature. Methods that mimic nature have a long history in various fields. Now is the time to use biomimetics as a starting technology design. Biomimetics is gaining a great deal of attention not only in materials and mechanical engineering but also in the ecosystem that comprises city planning, agriculture, and forestry. Informatics is being added to biomimetics to support its diversity and cross-disciplinarity. This book will inspire the undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and general readers who aim to develop technology for sustainability. Edited by Profs Akihiro Miyauchi and Masatsugu Shimomura, two prominent nanotechnology researchers, the book is their second volume on biomimetics. The first volume, Industrial Biomimetics, also published by Jenny Stanford Publishing, focused on the engineering aspect of biomimetics.

Applications of Nanocomposite Materials in Orthopedics provides a solid understanding of recent developments in the field of nano-composites used in orthopedics. The book covers joint replacement, the load bearing capability of fractured bones, bone soft tissue regeneration, hard tissue replacement, artificial bone grafting, bone repair, bone tissue transplantations, and related topics, thus helping readers understand how to resolve problems associated with bone fracture and orthopedic surgery. A variety of nanocomposite materials are discussed, with their properties and preparation methods given.

This thorough book explores some of the most important methods and concepts affecting the quantitative analysis of the transport, targeting, and disposition of chemicals within cells, which in turn impact the macroscopic pharmacokinetics of chemical agents in the whole organism. The first half of the volume focuses on small organic molecules with drug-like characteristics, while the second half delves into the cellular pharmacokinetics of biologics and other macromolecules, including peptide therapeutics, cyclotides, antibodies, as well as nanoparticles, thus creating a comprehensive treatise that approaches cellular pharmacokinetics from the different perspectives of pharmaceutical scientists, chemical biologists, medicinal chemists, and protein engineers dealing with very different chemical agents spanning a wide range of sizes, physicochemical properties, and targeting mechanisms. Written for the Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology series, chapters provide the kind of key detail and expert implementation advice that leads to excellent results in the lab. Synthetic biologists, biophysicists, and bioengineers are amongst the long list of scientists who could benefit from reading this book or from using it as a textbook. Authoritative and practical, Quantitative Analysis of Cellular Drug Transport, Disposition, and Delivery builds on a long history of drug development and the adding of quantitative methods at the cellular scale in order to inspire new approaches to drug development that are better able to take advantage of phenomena such as soluble-to-insoluble phase transitions or bispecific targeting, which could ultimately be exploited for the development of more effective drug delivery systems and therapeutic agents.

This book reviews the development, characterization and applications of aptamers in different areas of biotechnology ranging from therapeutics to diagnostics and protein purification. Hailed as chemical antibodies, these single-stranded nucleic acid receptors were predicted to supersede antibodies in traditional assays, such as ELISA, within a short time. While this has yet to happen, readers will find in this book a deep insight into the progress of aptamer technology and a critical discussion about the limitations that need to be overcome in order to find wider acceptance and use outside of the still relatively small aptamer-community. This book covers all aspects of aptamer generation and application for the aptamer-experienced reader and curious novice alike, with the addition of an industry perspective on the future of aptamer-use in biotechnology.

This book explores the status of paper-based diagnostic solutions, or Microfluidics 2.0. The contributors explore: how paper-based tests can be widely distributed and utilized by semi-skilled personnel; how close to commercial applications the technology has become, and what is still required to make paper-based diagnostics the game-changer it can be. The technology is examined through the lens of the World Health Organization's ASSURED criteria for low-resource countries (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment-free, and Deliverable to end-users). Its applications have to include: health technology, environmental technology, food safety, and more. This book is appropriate for researchers in these areas, as well as those interested in microfluidics, and includes chapters dedicated to principles such as theory of flow and surface treatments; components such as biomarkers and detection; and current methods of manufacturing. Discusses how paper-based diagnostics can be used in developing countries by comparing current diagnostic tests with the World Health Organization's ASSURED criteria Examines how paper-based diagnostics could be integrated with other technologies, such as printed electronics, and the Internet of Things. Outlines how semi-skilled personnel across a variety of fields can implement paper-based diagnostics

Agriculture faces many challenges to fulfil the growing demand for sustainable food production and ensure high-quality nutrition for a rapidly growing population. To guarantee adequate food production, it is necessary to increase the yield per area of arable land. A method for achieving this goal has been the application of growth regulators to modulate plant growth. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are substances in specific formulations which, when applied to plants or seeds, have the capacity to promote, inhibit, or modify physiological traits, development and/or stress responses. They maintain proper balance between source and sink for enhancing crop yield. PGRs are used to maximize productivity and quality, improve consistency in production, and overcome genetic and abiotic limitations to plant productivity. Suitable PGRs include hormones such as cytokinins and auxins, and hormone-like compounds such as mepiquat chloride and paclobutrazol. The use of PGRs in mainstream agriculture has steadily increased within the last 20 years as their benefits have become better understood by growers. Unfortunately, the growth of the PGR market may be constrained by a lack of innovation at a time when an increase in demand for new products will require steady innovation and discovery of novel, cost-competitive, specific, and effective PGRs. A plant bio-stimulant is any substance or microorganism applied to plants with the aim to enhance nutrition efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance and/or crop quality traits, regardless of its nutrients content. Apart from traditional PGRs, which are mostly plant hormones, there are a number of substances/molecules such as nitric oxide, methyl jasmonate, brassinosteroids, seaweed extracts, strigolactones, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria etc. which act as PGRs. These novel PGRs or bio-stimulants have been reported to play important roles in stress responses and adaptation. They can protect plants against various stresses, including water deficit, chilling and high temperatures, salinity and flooding. This book includes chapters ranging from sensing and signalling in plants to translational research. In addition, the cross-talk operative in plants in response to varied signals of biotic and abiotic nature is also presented. Ultimately the objective of this book is to present the current scenario and the future plan of action for the management of stresses through traditional as well as novel PGRs. We believe that this book will initiate and introduce readers to state-of-the-art developments and trends in this field of study.

This book focuses on the preparation and characterisation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/ halloysite nanotube (HNT) bionanocomposite films with different HNT contents for potential use in food packaging. It examines the effect of material composition and nanofiller content on mechanical, thermal and optical properties in relation to their morphological structures, and also comprehensively describes the water resistance, biodegradation and migration rates of such bionanocomposites, as well as their barrier properties in terms of water vapour transmission, and water vapour, air and oxygen permeabilities. Further, this book discusses the use of Nielsen model and Cussler model to predict the relative permeability of bionanocomposites, demonstrating that Nielsen model is more effective and in better agreement with experimental data obtained. Lastly, it discusses the application of bionanocomposite films in food packaging to prolong the shelf life of freshly cut avocados and peaches.

This detailed book covers methods for studying, producing, and analyzing therapeutic antibodies, measuring their concentration, developing neutralizing antibodies for them, and for predicting and monitoring their therapeutic efficacy and clinical effects. These biologics are the fastest growing pharmaceutical drug group and have had tremendous clinical and scientific impact in cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and other immune-related diseases, making the content of this volume essential. 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 methods, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Therapeutic Antibodies: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for researchers working with the production of, research on, and development of therapeutic antibodies as well as for clinicians using therapeutic antibodies in daily work with patients.

This book is devoted to CO2 capture and utilization (CCU) from a green, biotechnological and economic perspective, and presents the potential of, and the bottlenecks and breakthroughs in converting a stable molecule such as CO2 into specialty chemicals and materials or energy-rich compounds. The use of renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal, hydro) and non-fossil hydrogen is a must for converting large volumes of CO2 into energy products, and as such, the authors explore and compare the availability of hydrogen from water using these sources with that using oil or methane. Divided into 13 chapters, the book offers an analysis of the conditions under which CO2 utilization is possible, and discusses CO2 capture from concentrated sources and the atmosphere. It also analyzes the technological (non-chemical) uses of CO2, carbonation of basic minerals and industrial sludge, and the microbial-catalytic-electrochemical-photoelectrochemical-plasma conversion of CO2 into chemicals and energy products. Further, the book provides examples of advanced bioelectrochemical syntheses and RuBisCO engineering, as well as a techno-energetic and economic analysis of CCU. Written by leading international experts, this book offers a unique perspective on the potential of the various technologies discussed, and a vision for a sustainable future. Intended for graduates with a good understanding of chemistry, catalysis, biotechnology, electrochemistry and photochemistry, it particularly appeals to researchers (in academia and industry) and university teachers.

This book is a compilation of the bench experience of leading experts from various research labs involved in the cutting edge area of research. The authors describe the use of stem cells both as part of the combinatorial therapeutic intervention approach and as tools (disease model) during drug development, highlighting the shift from a conventional symptomatic treatment strategy to addressing the root cause of the disease process. The book is a continuum of the previously published book entitled "Stem Cells: from Drug to Drug Discovery" which was published in 2017.

This volume covers experimental and theoretical advances on the relationship between composition, structure and macroscopic mechanical properties of novel hydrogels containing dynamic bonds. The chapters of this volume focus on the control of the mechanical properties of several recently discovered gels with the design of monomer composition, chain architecture, type of crosslinking or internal structure. The gels discussed in the different chapters have in common the capability to dissipate energy upon deformation, a desired property for mechanical toughness, while retaining the ability to recover the properties of the virgin material over time or to self-heal when put back in contact after fracture. Some chapters focus on the synthesis and structural aspects while others focus on properties or modelling at the continuum or mesoscopic scale. The volume will be of interest to chemists and material scientists by providing guidelines and general structure-property considerations to synthesize and develop innovative gels tuned for applications. In addition it will provide physicists with a better understanding of the role of weak interactions between molecules and physical crosslinking on macroscopic dissipative properties and self-healing or self-recovering properties.

Bioethanol Production from Food Crops: Sustainable Sources, Interventions and Challenges comprehensively covers the global scenario of ethanol production from both food and non-food crops and other sources. The book guides readers through the balancing of the debate on food vs. fuel, giving important insights into resource management and the environmental and economic impact of this balance between demands. Sections cover Global Bioethanol from Food Crops and Forest Resource, Bioethanol from Bagasse and Lignocellulosic wastes, Bioethanol from algae, and Economics and Challenges, presenting a multidisciplinary approach to this complex topic. As biofuels continue to grow as a vital alternative energy source, it is imperative that the proper balance is reached between resource protection and human survival. This book provides important insights into achieving that balance.

Value of Connected Things for Healthcare is based on feedback from members of the LLSA Forum, patients, healthcare professionals, Living Labs, industrialists, researchers and institutional actors confronted with the design, development, implementation and use of these types of tools that penetrate health and communicate data. The term connected object refers to devices that continuously collect data through these objects, providing the state of health of people wherever they are and whatever they do. These objects allow clinical researchers to study new phenomena that have hitherto escaped observations in institutions. However, the mobilization of these technologies in this context poses technical questions because the requirements of a remote, continuous operation are high. What is termed connected health emphasizes the human dimension of the subject, i.e., citizens, patients, health professionals, territorial communities, professional networks, institutions and associations. The questions of who benefits and ethical considerations are paramount to this discussion.

Advances in Applied Microbiology, Volume 107, continues the comprehensive reach of this widely read and authoritative review source in microbiology. Users will find invaluable references and information on a variety of areas, with this updated volume including chapters covering the roles and applications of siderophores, biological oxidation of iron sulphides, production of biomass and biofuel feedstocks from microalgae, advances in the microbial ecology of biohydrometallurgy, bacterial synthesis of Se nanoparticles, and siderophores in environmental research, amongst other discussions.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of current biosurfactant research and applications. Public awareness of environmental issues has increased significantly over the last decade, a trend that has been accompanied by industry demands for climate-friendly and environmentally friendly renewable raw materials. In the context of household products, biosurfactants could potentially meet this demand in the future due to their low ecotoxicity, excellent biodegradability, and use of renewable raw materials. The diversity of this class of molecules, which has only been marginally tapped to date, offers only an inkling of their future application potential. However, there are two main obstacles to their widespread commercial use on the growing surfactant market: the lack of attractive and competitive production technologies, and the limited structural diversity of commercially available biosurfactants. Addressing both of these core issues, this book will provide readers with a deeper understanding of the role of biosurfactants, including future opportunities and challenges. Chapter "Environmental Impacts of Biosurfactants from a Life Cycle Perspective: A Systematic Literature Review" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Antimicrobial resistance is a major global public health problem. This book focuses on the clinical implications of multi-drug resistant pathogens; tracking AMR and its evolutionary significance; antifungal resistance; and current and alternative treatment strategies for AMR, including antivirulent, antibiofilm and antimicrobial resistance breakers, repurposing of drugs, and probiotic therapy. Advances in antimicrobial stewardship, antibiotic policies from a global perspective and their impacts are also discussed. The book also explores the use of omics approaches to gain insights into antibacterial resistance, and includes chapters on the potential benefits of a 'One Health approach' describing the environmental and zoonotic sources of resistant genes and their effects on the global resistance pool.

This book presents the select proceedings of the International Conference on Functional Material, Manufacturing and Performances (ICFMMP) 2019. The book provides the state-of-the-art research, development, and commercial prospective of recent advances in materials science and engineering. The contents cover various synthesis and fabrication routes of functional and smart materials for applications in mechanical engineering, manufacturing, metrology, nanotechnology, physics, chemical and biological sciences, civil engineering, food science among others. It also provides the evolutionary behavior of materials science for industrial applications. This book will be a useful resource for researchers as well as professionals interested in the highly interdisciplinary field of materials science.

A Fractal Analysis of Chemical Kinetics with Applications to Biological and Biosensor Interfaces analyzes the kinetics of binding and dissociation of different analytes by different biosensor techniques, demonstrating, and then comparing each other. Emphasis is on newer instrumentation techniques, such as surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi), and classical techniques, such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and finally, DNA biosensors and nanobiosensors. In addition, the closing chapter includes discussion of biosensor economics.

This edited book deals with latest comprehensive information on conventional and high throughput techniques and technologies that are recently used to study plant microbial interface for agricultural research and enhancing plant productivity. Plant microbiota are important for many plant growth promotion activity and agricultural productivity and are sustainable green technology for enhancing agricultural productivity under changing environment. The book covers recent information about the plant associated microbiota and their ecology. It discusses technologies to isolate and test microbiota inhabiting in different portion of plants. The book explores the conventional methods as well as the most recently recognized high throughput technologies which are important for productive agroecosystems to feed the growing global population. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, microbiologist, plant and environmental scientist and those interested in environment stewardship around the world. Also the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, forestry, ecology, soil science, and environmental sciences and policy makers to be a useful to read.