Nanoscale science and engineering, which deal with size-dependent properties and phenomenon at nanometer scale, are unveiling new mechanisms that scientists must rely on heavily at the present time to achieve efficient and sustainable chemical processing technologies. In Nanoscale Biocatalysis: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field contribute detailed methodologies and procedures that have been developed from recent research in this burgeoning area of nanoscale technology-enabled biocatalysis. The volume opens with concepts in preparing unique and dynamic protein structures for biocatalysis, then moves on to cover methods for preparation of enzyme assembles or complexes that maintain molecular-like Brownian mobility, the development of protein-nanostructure complexes using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nanoparticles, as well as methodologies that have great potential for scale-up preparation of nano-structured biocatalysts. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include brief introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and vital tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Nanoscale Biocatalysis: Methods and Protocols is an ideal guide to the new wave of development in nearly all the major areas of science and engineering brought about by this fascinating and greatly promising area of study.

"Engineered Biomimicry" covers a broad range of research topics in the emerging discipline of biomimicry. Biologically inspired science and technology, using the principles of math and physics, has led to the development of products as ubiquitous as Velcro (modeled after the spiny hooks on plant seeds and fruits). Readers will learn to take ideas and concepts like this from nature, implement them in research, and understand and explain diverse phenomena and their related functions. From bioinspired computing and medical products to biomimetic applications like artificial muscles, MEMS, textiles and vision sensors, "Engineered Biomimicry" explores a wide range of technologies informed by living natural systems.

"Engineered Biomimicry" helps physicists, engineers and material scientists seek solutions in nature to the most pressing technical problems of our times, while providing a solid understanding of the important role of biophysics. Some physical applications include adhesion superhydrophobicity and self-cleaning, structural coloration, photonic devices, biomaterials and composite materials, sensor systems, robotics and locomotion, and ultra-lightweight structures.
Explores biomimicry, a fast-growing, cross-disciplinary field in which researchers study biological activities in nature to make critical advancements in science and engineeringIntroduces bioinspiration, biomimetics, and bioreplication, and provides biological background and practical applications for each Cutting-edge topics include bio-inspired robotics, microflyers, surface modification and more"

This book reviews several aspects of the biological response to nanoscale particles on a molecular and cellular level. Nanoscale materials and nanoscale particles in particular have interesting properties and beneficial applications. While they thus have entered our daily lifes on many different levels (from electronics, over textiles, packaging or surface modifications, to biomedical applications), general rules describing their interaction with biological structures and biological matter are still difficult to derive. The existing literature suggests a variety of interaction schemes between nanoparticles and biological objects, not dispelling the public concerns about possible health effects and harmful properties. A systematic approach to the problem is needed and timely. This book specifically emphasizes bioanalytical problems starting from the characterization of the nanomaterials to the pitfalls and potential artifacts of state-of-the-art cytotoxicity assays that are frequently used to study harmful effects on cells. It also highlights the application of label-free bioanalytical techniques that can potentially complement the present approaches and hence provide new perspectives on this highly discussed cutting-edge field of research and public concern.

Presenting the state of the art of tissue culture and in vitro propagation of vegetable and tuber crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, fibre and oilseed crops, and grasses, this book complements the previous two volumes on High-Tech and Micropropagation, which concentrated on special techniques (Vol.17) and trees and bushes of commercial value (Vol.18). The specific plants covered here include asparagus, lettuce, horse radish, cucumber, potato, cassava, sweet potato, artichoke, yams, cardamom, fennel, celery, thyme, leek, mentha, turmeric, lavender, agave, yucca, cotton, jute, sunflower, ryegrass, zoysiagrass, and various species of "Aconitum," "Artemisia," "Camelia," "Centaurium," "Digitalis," "Dioscorea," "Glehnia," "Levisticum," "Parthenium," and "Pinella." The book is of use to advanced students, teachers and research workers in the field of pharmacy, horticulture, plant breeding and plant biotechnology in general, and also to individuals interested in industrial micropropagation.

Metabolic engineering is a rapidly evolving field that is being applied for the optimization of many different industrial processes. In this issue of Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, developments in different areas of metabolic engineering are reviewed. The contributions discuss the application of metabolic engineering in the improvement of yield and productivity - illustrated by amino acid production and the production of novel compounds - in the production of polyketides and extension of the substrate range - and in the engineering of S. cerevisiae for xylose metabolism, and the improvement of a complex biotransformation process.

In this well-illustrated reference, contributors summarize current research on sulfate-reducing bacteria and examine their relationship to biotechnology processes. This approach enables researchers to identify and define appropriate questions for future research. Chapters examine the biochemical and physiological characteristics of sulfate-reducing eubacteria and archaebacteria and review environmental and industrial activities of these bacteria. This volume features the first review on bioremediation by sulfate-reducing bacteria.

The future of agriculture strongly depends on our ability to enhance productivity without sacrificing long-term production potential. An ecologically and economically sustainable strategy is the application of microorganisms, such as the diverse bacterial species of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). The use of these bio-resources for the enhancement of crop productivity is gaining worldwide importance.

" Bacteria in Agrobiology: Plant Growth Responses " describes the application of various bacteria in plant growth promotion and protection, including symbiotic, free living, rhizospheric, endophytic, methylotrophic, diazotrophic and filamentous species.

This volume will cover a series of reviews on stem cells including adult and embryonic stem cells. Speakers were invited to present these talks during the Stem Cell Symposia in fall of 2010, in Samsun, Turkey. Unique aspect of this volume is that it brings a multidisciplinary aspect of stem cells extracted from a symposium.

Genetically Engineered Marine Organisms: Environmental and Economic Risks and Benefits provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary overview of the environmental, economic, and regulatory implications of advances in marine biotechnology. The book has been specifically designed to bridge the gap between the rapidly advancing marine biotechnology industry and the government agencies that are responsible for risk assessment and regulation. Editors Raymond Zilinskas and Peter Balint have brought together experts in risk assessment, marine ecology, biotechnology, economics, and the law, to provide a unique way of examining complex issues in marine biotechnology. The contributors present innovative and challenging recommendations for protecting public health and the environment, while encouraging the development of beneficial new products in the field of marine biotechnology. As an added feature, each chapter includes a comprehensive, up-to-date bibliography. Genetically Engineered Marine Organisms: Environmental and Economic Risks and Benefits will prove invaluable to students, researchers and public employees involved with risk assessment. The book will appeal to industry personnel involved with the preparation of marine biotechnology products; scientists and administrators involved with applied research in marine biotechnology; policy analysts concerned with the economics of marine fisheries; and university personnel who focus on the interaction of risk, technology, and public policy.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a very important clinical imaging tool. It combines different fields of physics and engineering in a uniquely complex way. MRI is also surprisingly versatile, 'pulse sequences' can be designed to yield many different types of contrast. This versatility is unique to MRI. This short book gives both an in depth account of the methods used for the operation and construction of modern MRI systems and also the principles of sequence design and many examples of applications. An important additional feature of this book is the detailed discussion of the mathematical principles used in building optimal MRI systems and for sequence design. The mathematical discussion is very suitable for undergraduates attending medical physics courses. It is also more complete than usually found in alternative books for physical scientists or more clinically orientated works.

The earliest experimental data on an oxygen-free glass have been published by Schulz-Sellack in 1870 [1]. Later on, in 1902, Wood [2], as well as Meier in 1910 [3], carried out the first researches on the optical properties of vitreous selenium. The interest in the glasses that exhibit transparency in the infrared region of the optical spectrum rose at the beginning of the twentieth century. Firstly were investigated the heavy metal oxides and the transparency limit was extended from (the case of the classical oxide glasses) up to wavelength. In order to extend this limit above the scientists tried the chemical compositions based on the elements of the sixth group of the Periodic Table, the chalcogens: sulphur, selenium and tellurium. The systematic research in the field of glasses based on chalcogens, called chalcogenide glasses, started at the middle of our century. In 1950 Frerichs [4] investigated the glass and published the paper: "New optical glasses transparent in infrared up to 12 . Several years later he started the study of the selenium glass and prepared several binary glasses with sulphur [5]. Glaze and co-workers [6] developed in 1957 the first method for the preparation of the glass at the industrial scale, while Winter-Klein [7] published reports on numerous chalcogenides prepared in the vitreous state.

The rapidly developing field of systems biology is influencing many aspects of biological research and is expected to transform biomedicine. Some emerging offshoots and specialized branches in systems biology are receiving particular attention and are becoming highly active areas of research. This collection of invited reviews describes some of the latest cutting-edge experimental and computational advances in these emerging sub-fields of systems biology. In particular, this collection focuses on the study of mammalian embryonic stem cells; new technologies involving mass-spectrometry proteomics; single cell measurements; methods for modeling complex stochastic systems; network-based classification algorithms; and the revolutionary emerging field of systems pharmacology.

Nanobiotechnology is one of the key technologies of the 21st century. It is a combination of nanoscience and biotechnology and covers areas ranging from gene transfer and nanoencapsulation to food technology. Nanocarriers are a leading nanobiotechnology tool with the ability to provide protection, site-specific delivery, enhanced bioavailability and controlled release of pharmaceuticals, genetic material, imaging agents, nutraceuticals and cosmetics to name a few. For this reason, the study of nanocarriers, their properties and applications has attracted a great deal of interest over recent years. Designed as an advanced survey of the field, this book describes the key research parameters of nanocarrier technologies including their preparation methods, evaluation of their safety and efficiency, their interaction with biologicals and their application in biotechnology, drug delivery, gene therapy and food technology areas.

Animal cell technology is a growing discipline of cell biology which aims not only to understand structures, functions and behaviors of differentiated animal cells but also to ascertain their abilities to be used for industrial and medical purposes. The goal of animal cell technology includes accomplishments of clonal expansion of differentiated cells with useful ability, optimization of their culture conditions, modulation of their ability for production of medically and pharmaceutically important proteins, and the application of animal cells to gene therapy and artificial organs. This Volume gives the readers a complete review of the present state of the art in Japan. The Proceedings will be useful for cell biologists, biochemists, molecular biologists, immunologists, biochemical engineers and other disciplines related to animal cell culture, working either in academic environments or in industries of biotechnology and pharmacy.

Modern Luminescence From Fundamental Concepts to Materials and Applications, Volume Four: Luminescence in Solid State Devices is a multivolume work that reviews the fundamental principles, properties and applications of luminescent materials. Topics addressed include 1) The key concepts of luminescence with a focus on important characterization techniques to understand a wide category of luminescent materials, 2) The most relevant luminescent materials such as transition metals, rare-earth materials, actinide-based materials, and organic materials, and 3) The emerging applications of luminescent materials in biomedicine, solid state devices, and the development of hybrid materials. The book reviews the latest advances in luminescent materials and their application in solid state lighting, energy and space. The volume also discusses advanced applications such as photonic energy materials, anti-counterfeiting, high power applications, and more. It will be suitable for materials scientists and engineers in academia and industry R&D.

Animal cell technology is a growing discipline of cell biology which aims to understand the structure, function and behaviour of differentiated animal cells, and especially the development of such abilities as are useful for industrial purposes. These developments range from clonal expansion of differentiated cells with useful abilities, to optimization of cell culture on industrial scale and modulation of the cells' abilities to produce drugs and monoclonal antibodies. The sixth volume in this series gives a complete review of today's state of the art in Japan, a country where this field is especially well advanced. It will be of interest to cell biologists, biochemists, molecular biologists, immunologists and other disciplines related to animal cell culture, working in the academic environment as well as in (biotechnology or pharmaceutical) industry.

As recently as 20 years ago, ceramics were widely ignored as potential biomaterials. Interest in bioceramics has increased dramatically over the past decade to the point where it is anticipated they will be the materials of choice for many orthopedic, otologic, maxillofacial and dental applications during the decade of the '90s. Alumina ceramics are being used extensively as articulating comJ1onents in total joint prostheses because of Ithe materials low coefficient of friction and excellent wear resistances. Alumina ceramics are also being used in dental and maxillofacial applica tions because of the materials excellent biocompatibility. Because of its ability to chemically bond to bone, hydroxyapatite is rapidly becoming the material of choice for many dental and maxillofacial applications. For the past decade, one of the most widely researched topics in the field of orthopedics has been the clinical evaluation of joint prostheses based upon stabili zation via tissue ingrowth. It appears that the next generation of joint prostheses will be based upon direct chemically bonding to bone using hydroxyapatite, surface-active glass or surface-active glass ceramics coatings. Resorbable bioceramics are limited to temporary bone space fillers, periodontal pockets treatment and resorbable pharma ceutical delivery systems. Bioceramics is a comprehensive reference textbook covering the history of bio ceramics, present status of bioceramics, and prediction for future use of bioceramics. This book will serve as a major reference for students, as well as experienced bio material researchers. The book presents the state-of-the-art of bioceramics as of 1991."

This book presents a unified overview of eco-friendly bionanocomposites on the basis of characterization, design, manufacture, and application. It also explores replacing conventional materials with bionanocomposites with a focus on their use in packaging applications. In addition, the book broadens readers' insights by providing illustrations and tables summarizing the latest research on the packaging applications of different bionanocomposites. By offering a detailed account of this field of research and describing real-world applications, it enables researchers, scientists, and professionals in industry to develop a more informed understanding of the need for bionanocomposites in the development of green, biodegradable, and sustainable packaging applications.

Nanobiotechnology of Biomimetic Membranes describes the current state of research and development in biomimetic membranes for nanobiotechnology applications. The application areas in nanobiotechnology range from novel nanosensors, to novel methods for sorting and delivering bio-active molecules, to novel drug-delivery systems. The success of these applications relies on a good understanding of the interaction and incorporation of macromolecules in membranes and the fundamental properties of the membrane itself.

Conversion of biomass into chemicals and biofuels is an active research and development area as trends move to replace traditional fossil fuels with renewable resources. By integrating processing methods with ultrasound and microwave irradiation into biorefineries, the time-scale of many operations can be greatly reduced while the efficiency of the reactions can be remarkably increased so that process intensification can be achieved. "Production of Biofuels and Chemicals with Ultrasound" and "Production of Biofuels and Chemicals with Microwave" are two independent volumes in the Biofuels and Biorefineries series that take different, but complementary approaches for the pretreatment and chemical transformation of biomass into chemicals and biofuels. The volume "Ultrasound" provides current research advances and prospects in mechanistic principles of acoustic cavitation in sonochemistry, physical and chemical mechanisms in biofuel synthesis, reactor design for transesterification and esterification reactions, lipid extraction from algal biomass, microalgae extraction, biodiesel and bioethanol synthesis, practical technologies and systems, pretreatment of biomass waste sources including lignocellulosic materials, manures and sludges for biogas production, vibration-assisted pelleting, combined chemical-mechanical methods, valorization of starch-based wastes and techno-economic methodology. Each of the 12 chapters has been peer-reviewed and edited to improve both the quality of the text and the scope and coverage of the topics. Both volumes "Ultrasound" and "Microwave" are references designed for students, researchers, academicians and industrialists in the fields of chemistry and chemical engineering and include introductory chapters to highlight present concepts of the fundamental technologies and their application. Dr. Zhen Fang is Professor in Bioenergy, Leader and founder of biomass group, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and is also adjunct Professor of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China. Dr. Richard L Smith, Jr. is Professor of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Tohoku University, Japan. Dr. Xinhua Qi is Professor of Environmental Science, Nankai University, China.

Bioenergy: Principles and Technologies introduces biomass energy resources and then elaborates on bioenergy technologies including biomass combustion, biogas production, biomass briquettes and biomass gasification. With a combination of theories, experiments and case studies, the book is an essential reference for bioenergy researchers, industrial chemists and chemical engineers.

This book takes a "bottom-up" approach, beginning with atoms and molecules - molecular building blocks - and assembling them to build nanostructured materials. Coverage includes Carbon Nanotubes, Nanowires, and Diamondoids. The applications presented here will enable practitioners to design and build nanometer-scale systems. These concepts have far-reaching implications: from mechanical to chemical processes, from electronic components to ultra-fine sensors, from medicine to energy, and from pharmaceuticals to agriculture and food.