This collection presents fundamentals and the current status of friction stir welding (FSW) and solid-state friction stir processing of materials, and provides researchers and engineers with an opportunity to review the current status of the friction stir related processes and discuss the future possibilities. Contributions cover various aspects of friction stir welding and processing including their derivative technologies. Topics include but are not limited to: * derivative technologies * high-temperature lightweight applications * industrial applications * dissimilar alloys and/or materials * controls and nondestructive examination * simulation * characterization

Microencapsulations may be found in a number of fields like medicine, drug delivery, biosensing, agriculture, catalysis, intelligent microstructures and in many consumer goods. This new edition of Microencapsulation revises chapters to address the newest innovations in fields and adds three new chapters on the uses of microencapsulations in medicine, agriculture, and consumer products.

This handbook is an edited version of the final report of the European Commission and IEA Bioenergy sponsored Pyrolysis Network that officially finished in 2004. It provides a companion volume to the first (ISBN 978-1-872691-07-7) and second (ISBN 978-1-872691-47-3) handbooks published in 1999 and 2002 respectively also available from CPL Press (www.cplpress.com). It is again intended that this will provide a useful guide both to newcomers to the subject area as well as those already involved in research, development and implementation. A significant feature of this third volume is the greater attention paid to wider issues concerning pyrolysis including environment, health and safety, norms and standards and marketability.

Arsenic contamination poses a major environmental problem, especially in Southeast Asian countries like Bangladesh and India. Threatening the health of millions of people due to arsenic's toxicity and carcinogenicity, the major routes of arsenic exposure for humans are either through drinking water or crops. Rice is the crop most affected by arsenic owing to its cultivation in major arsenic contaminated areas, biogeochemical factors in the soil during rice growth, and specific features of rice that enable it take up more arsenic than other crop plants. This book addresses the problem of arsenic by pursuing a holistic approach. It presents the status quo in different parts of the world (North and South America, Europe, Asia, etc.) and provides essential information on food-related arsenic exposure risks for humans, and possible preventive and curative measures for tackling arsenic poisoning. It covers the arsenic contamination status of rice, rice-based products, other vegetables, fishes, mushrooms, and other foods, with a special focus on rice-arsenic interactions. The mechanisms of arsenic uptake, translocation and distribution in plants and grains are also explained. In closing, the book reviews a variety of prospective agronomic and biotechnological solutions to the problem of arsenic accumulation in rice grains. The book is intended for a broad audience including researchers, scientists, and readers with diverse backgrounds including agriculture, environmental science, food science, environmental management, and human health. It can also be used as an important reference guide for undergraduate and graduate students, university faculties, and environmentalists.

This book summarizes all different fields of cotton fiber, including genetics, fiber chemistry, soft materials, textile, and fashion engineering. It also contains some new applications such as biomaterials, nanocoated smart fabrics, and functional textiles. Moreover, the significant improvement recently in gene modification and gene technology is introduced. This book discusses all these aspects in a more straightforward way, and new illustrations will help readers to understand the contents. It is intended for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in cotton science and processing technologies, researchers investigating the updated applications of cotton in various fields as well as industrialists who want to have a quick review of the cotton and its different stages.

This two-volume book, Biomolecules and Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants, will be a valuable desk reference book on bioactives and pharmacology of medicinal plants. Listing the medicinal plants by species, each of these 77 chapters detail the plants' bioactive phytocompounds and their chemical structures along with their pharmacological activities and properties. These include the plants' antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and nephroprotective properties. Bioactive compounds typically occur in small amounts, and they have more subtle effects than nutrients. Bioactive compounds influence cellular activities that modify the risk of disease and cure and alleviate disease symptoms. These compounds can act as antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors and inducers, inhibitors of receptor activities, and inducers and inhibitors of gene expression among other actions. A wide array of biological activities and potential health benefits of medicinal plants have been reported, which include antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic properties as well as protective effects on the liver, kidney, heart, and nervous system. The volumes will be a must-have reference for pharmacy institutes and pharmacy professors, phytochemists and research scholars, botanists working with medicinal plants, and postgraduate students of pharmacy and medicine round the world. The comprehensive information presented here provides an invaluable source to aid in the development of new drugs.

This book presents a comprehensive review of renewable energy-based sustainable drying techniques for developing countries. Aspiring towards a world with zero food waste, the book has provided discussion on sustainable drying techniques in terms of energy efficiency. The socio-economic condition of each developing country is unique; therefore, has specific technological requirements. As such, the book presents discussions on food waste scenario around the world, the socio-economic status of developing countries and their correlation with food. The book gives an overview of the quality aspects of drying, along with the required energy and time to retain these features. Additionally, a method of selecting drying techniques for developing countries, taking the cost and safety factor into consideration, has been discussed extensively Also, the renewable and non-renewable energy resources of low income, lower-middle income, middle income, and high-income developing countries have been analyzed and presented. The book also highlights the available drying techniques that are currently being practiced by the consumers and industries of developing countries. The book recommends ten sustainable drying technologies for the developing countries and describes their working principle. Discussion on potential challenges for sustainable drying technology adoption is also presented. The book presents up-to-date research on sustainable drying techniques and their impact on developing countries to reduce food waste. Food waste is not only a humanitarian concern but also a threat to environmental sustainability. Currently, one-third of all produced food is being wasted, when nearly 805 million people - including children remain undernourished on a daily basis. In an effort to solve this crisis, a number of food preservations techniques are being practiced in food supply chain. Drying is one such preservation technique that prevents microbial proliferation, slows enzymatic reaction and preserves the physio-chemical properties of food. Albeit, drying is an effective means of food preservation; it is also highly energy-intensive. Developing countries do not have sufficient energy and financial resources to adopt conventional (expensive and high energy) drying techniques. As such, this is the first reference work dedicated to discussing the prospects and challenges of sustainable (renewable energy based and inexpensive) drying techniques for developing countries in order to reduce food waste. Sustainable food drying techniques in developing countries: Prospects and Challenges is a singular work in the field of food preservation and affordable drying technology.

Call it the Human element in how a refining and chemical process operation is run....the other side of the machine and control system operation equation. Its value is in lives protected and money saved. This plain English guide to the principles of human factors will enable operations and control personnel-both the experienced and uninitiated- to understand how to successfully incorporate the concepts within their own plants. Through real-world examples, the author explains how human factors engineering concepts do, and must, dovetail with process plant design and operation. Offering practical insights, the book lays out the principles of human-system interactions and how they must be incorporated into any plant and control system from the get go-in order to ensure safe and efficient operations. Control engineers and operations managers will gain incomparable, inside-the-industry experience from: - Clear discussion of performance-shaping factors; - In-depth discussion of key variables in terms of workload and staffing; - A detailed analysis of the all-important human-machine interface, including content and format; - How-to planning for system demands and levels of automation; - Invaluable guidance on worker selection and training, along with sample procedures and job aids; and - Tools for investigation of incidents and near-misses from the human perspective.

The book provides a detailed state-of-the-art overview of inorganic chemistry applied to medicinal chemistry and biology. It covers the newly emerging field of metals in medicine and the future of medicinal inorganic chemistry. Further it includes metal based medicines used in alternative systems of Ayurveda as well as Tibetan Zuotai to make it a holistic approach. It is an essential reading for every researcher and student in medicinal and bioinorganic chemistry.

Although nanotechnology has revolutionized fields such as medicine, genetics, biology, bioengineering, mechanics, and chemistry, its increasing application in the food industry is relatively recent in comparison. Nanotechnology is being used to discover new methods for creating new flavors, extending food shelf life, and improving food protection and nutritional value. Nanotechnology in the food industry is now being explored for intelligent nutrient delivery systems, "smart" foods, contaminant detection nanodevices and nanosensors, advanced food processing, antimicrobial chemicals, encapsulation, and green nanomaterials. This new three-volume set, Nanotechnology Horizons in Food Process Engineering, addresses a multitude of topical issues and new developments in the field. Volume 1 focuses food preservation, food packaging and sustainable agriculture, while Volume 2 looks at nanotechnology in food process engineering, applications of biomaterials in food products, and the use of modern nanotechnology for human health. The third volume explores the newest trends in nanotechnology for food applications and their application for improving food delivery systems. Together, these three volumes provide a comprehensive and in-depth look at the emerging status of nanotechnology in the food processing industry, explaining the benefits and drawbacks of various methodologies that will aid in the improvement and development of food product sourcing and food hygiene monitoring methods. Volume 1 discusses emerging nanotechnolgical applications in food processing, packaging, and preservation. It focuses on using nanoparticles for safe and nutritional food production, protecting crops from pests, increasing nutritional value, and providing solutions for various environmental issues. This book especially deals with nanotechnology for controlling plant pathogens, food packaging and preservation, agricultural productivity, wastewater treatment, and bioenergy production. Volume 2 discusses nanotechnology use in non-thermal techniques such as high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric fields (PEFs), pulsed light, ultraviolet, microwave, ohmic heating, electrospinning, and nano- and microencapsulation. This volume looks at the role and application of minimal processing techniques such as ozone treatment, vacuum drying, osmotic dehydration, dense phase carbon dioxide treatment, and high-pressure assisted freezing. The successful applications of nanotechnologies on juices, meat and fish, fruits and vegetable slices, food surface, purees, milk and milk products, extraction, drying enhancement, and encapsulation of micro-macro nutrients are also considered. The volume also presents several computer-aided techniques that are emerging in the food processing sector, such as robotics, radio frequency identification (RFID), three-dimensional food printing, artificial intelligence, etc. Significant role of food properties in design of specific food and edible packaging films have been elucidated. Volume 3: Trends, Nanomaterials and Food Delivery provides an overview of the current trends in nanotechnology for food applications and food delivery systems. Topics include a collection of chapters on diverse topics, including the stability of nanoparticles in food, nanobiosensing for the detection of food contaminants, nanotechnology applications in agriculture, the role of nanotechnology in nutrient delivery, how nanotechnology is applied in dairy products, biofunctional magnetic nanoparticles in food safety, the development of nutraceuticals using nanotechnological tools, and more.

This book focuses on the development of novel combustion approaches and burner designs for clean power generation in gas turbines. It shows the reader how to control the release of pollutants to the environment in an effort to reduce global warming. After an introduction to global warming issues and clean power production for gas turbine applications, subsequent chapters address premixed combustion, burner designs for clean power generation, gas turbine performance, and insights on gas turbine operability. Given its scope, the book can be used as a textbook for graduate-level courses on clean combustion, or as a reference book to accompany compact courses for mechanical engineers and young researchers around the world.

Today, membranes and membrane processes are used as efficient tools for the separation of liquid mixtures or gases in the chemical and biomedical industry, in water desalination and wastewater purification.
Despite the fact that various membrane processes, like reverse osmosis, are described in great detail in a number of books, processes involving ion-exchange membranes are only described in a fragmented way in scientific journals and patents; even though large industrial applications, like electrodialysis, have been around for over half a century. Therefore, this book is emphasizing on the most relevant aspects of ion-exchange membranes.
This book provides a comprehensive overview of ion-exchange membrane separation processes covering the fundamentals as well as recent developments of the different products and processes and their applications. The audience for this book is heterogeneous, as it includes plant managers and process engineers as well as research scientists and graduate students.
The separate chapters are based on different topics. The first chapter describes the relevant Electromembrane processes in a general overview. The second chapter explains thermodynamic and physicochemical fundamentals. The third chapter gives information about ion-exchange membrane preparation techniques, while the fourth and fifth chapter discusses the processes as unit operations giving examples for the design of specific plants.
1. First work on the principles and applications of electrodialysis and related separation processes.
2. Presently no other comprehensive work that can serve as both reference work and text book is available
3. Book is suited for teaching students and as source for detailed information

This book presents an authoritative review of the most significant findings about all the epigenetic targets (writers, readers, and erasers) and their implication in physiology and pathology. The book also covers the design, synthesis and biological validation of epigenetic chemical modulators, which can be useful as novel chemotherapeutic agents. Particular attention is given to the chemical mechanisms of action of these molecules and to the drug discovery prose which allows their identification. This book will appeal to students who want to know the extensive progresses made by epigenetics (targets and modulators) in the last years from the beginning, and to specialized scientists who need an instrument to quickly search and check historical and/or updated notices about epigenetics.

This text comprehensively covers novel, innovative technologies used in the food and beverage industries in order to provide safe and healthy foods for consumers. The research provided in these chapters aims to show that the traditional pasteurization and commercial sterilization of foods result in unacceptable quality and nutrient retention, creating an important need for alternative methods used to minimize undesirable reactions such as thermal decomposition or degradation. Emerging processing methods to minimize heat induced alterations in foods and their applications are covered in-depth, demonstrating that these methods are useful not only for the inactivation of microorganisms and enzymes but also for improving the yield and development of ingredients and marketable foods with higher quality and better nutritional characteristics. Effect of Emerging Processing Methods on the Food Quality: Advantages and Challenges not only covers the advantages of using innovative processing methods, but also the disadvantages and challenges of using these techniques on food quality. Each chapter focuses on a different emerging processing technique, breaking down the sensory, textural and nutritional aspects for different food products in addition to the advantages and challenges for each method. New technologies and advanced theories are a major focus, pointing to innovative new paths for the quality and safety assurance in food products. From pulsed electric fields to ultrasounds, this work covers all aspects of emerging processing techniques for fruits and vegetables, foods and dairy products.

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 volume is designed to impart the fundamental concepts in experimental pharmacology, research methodology and biostatistics. Through this book, the readers will learn about different methods involved in drug discovery, experimental animals and their care, equipments and the various bioassays used in experimental pharmacology. This book contains special sections on various drug screening methods involved in the evaluation of different body systems. Certain sections provide the healthcare professionals with the knowledge necessary to interpret clinical research articles, design clinical studies, and learn essential concepts in biostatistics in an expedient and concise manner. Basic principles and applications of simple analytical methods employed in drug analysis are well written under one section. It focuses on the basic and advanced laboratory techniques and also on computer simulated data, written extensively under the Biostatistics section. The methods used for drug analysis have been described in adequate detail with cross-references for further studies and comprehension. Overall, the book is designed systematically with four broad sections with extensive subdivisions for easy tracking, interpretation, and understanding.

Early anthropological evidence for plant use as medicine is 60,000 years old as reported from the Neanderthal grave in Iraq. The importance of plants as medicine is further supported by archeological evidence from Asia and the Middle East. Today, around 1.4 billion people in South Asia alone have no access to modern health care, and rely instead on traditional medicine to alleviate various symptoms. On a global basis, approximately 50 to 80 thousand plant species are used either natively or as pharmaceutical derivatives for life-threatening conditions that include diabetes, hypertension and cancers. As the demand for plant-based medicine rises, there is an unmet need to investigate the quality, safety and efficacy of these herbals by the "scientific methods". Current research on drug discovery from medicinal plants involves a multifaceted approach combining botanical, phytochemical, analytical, and molecular techniques. For instance, high throughput robotic screens have been developed by industry; it is now possible to carry out 50,000 tests per day in the search for compounds, which act on a key enzyme or a subset of receptors. This and other bioassays thus offer hope that one may eventually identify compounds for treating a variety of diseases or conditions. However, drug development from natural products is not without its problems. Frequent challenges encountered include the procurement of raw materials, the selection and implementation of appropriate high-throughput bioassays, and the scaling-up of preparative procedures. Research scientists should therefore arm themselves with the right tools and knowledge in order to harness the vast potentials of plant-based therapeutics. The main objective of Plant and Human Health is to serve as a comprehensive guide for this endeavor. Volume 1 highlights how humans from specific areas or cultures use indigenous plants. Despite technological developments, herbal drugs still occupy a preferential place in a majority of the population in the third world and have slowly taken roots as alternative medicine in the West. The integration of modern science with traditional uses of herbal drugs is important for our understanding of this ethnobotanical relationship. Volume 2 deals with the phytochemical and molecular characterization of herbal medicine. Specifically, it focuess on the secondary metabolic compounds, which afford protection against diseases. Lastly, Volume 3 discusses the physiological mechanisms by which the active ingredients of medicinal plants serve to improve human health. Together this three-volume collection intends to bridge the gap for herbalists, traditional and modern medical practitioners, and students and researchers in botany and horticulture.