Real-time PCR has established itself as a sensitive and specific qualitative and quantitative technique that has become important to all areas of microbiology. This invaluable book describes and explains some of the more complex aspects of real-time PCR presenting a background for the novice, a theoretical reference for the experienced user, and useful discussions of future developments. Chapters address the basics of PCR history, oligonucleotide design, target preparation, standardisation, quantification, various applications, and future challenges. The final chapter is presented in the format of a roundtable discussion providing an insightful, topical and interesting discourse with contributions from over 30 authorities and experts on real-time PCR. The editor and authors have produced an excellent book that will be extremely useful for all microbiologists. It is a recommended book for all microbiology laboratories.

Exploring the functional anatomy and physiology of the ventilatory control system from the intracellular to the integrative level, this references serves as the first source to offer comprehensive coverage of the influences of various pharmacological agents on the control of breathing.

One of the most important organisms in biotechnology, Corynebacterium glutamicum is currently used to produce 2 million tons of amino acids per year for a rapidly expanding market. Until now, research and information have been scattered among individual papers which are often difficult to locate in a timely manner. As the first complete compilation of major findings, Handbook of Corynebacterium glutamicum is a comprehensive source of scientific and technical information required for the understanding and manipulation of C. glutamicum. The book summarizes the current knowledge in the field ofC. glutamicum research from its discovery in 1957 through the most recent studies at the genomic and systemic level, and provides a basis for future work. Written by experts from industry and academia, chapters cover all major aspects of C. glutamicum, including physiology, biochemistry, genetics, and industrial applications. Just as C. glutamicum has proven its profitability in industry and research, this book will demonstrate its value to the scientists striving to understand and develop even more efficient producer strains of this promising microorganism.

The second edition of a bestseller, this book provides a comprehensive reference for the cultivation of bacteria, Archaea, and fungi from diverse environments, including extreme habitats. Expanded to include 2,000 media formulations, this book compiles the descriptions of media of relevance for the cultivation of microorganisms from soil, water, and air. The format allows easy reference to the information needed to prepare media for the cultivation of microorganisms required for environmental analysis, including the determination of water safety. The media are organized alphabetically, and each listing includes medium composition, instructions for preparation, commercial sources, and uses.

Drinking water provides an efficient source for the spread of gastrointestinal microbial pathogens capable of causing serious human disease. The massive death toll and burden of disease worldwide caused by unsafe drinking water is a compelling reason to value the privilege of having safe drinking water delivered to individual homes. On rare occasions, that privilege has been undermined in affluent nations by waterborne disease outbreaks traced to the water supply. Using the rich and detailed perspectives offered by the evidence and reports from the Canadian public inquiries into the Walkerton (2000) and North Battleford (2001) outbreaks to develop templates for understanding their key dimensions, over 60 waterborne outbreaks from 15 affluent countries over the past 30 years are explored as individual case studies. Recurring themes and patterns are revealed and the critical human dimensions are highlighted suggesting insights for more effective and more individualized preventive strategies, personnel training, management, and regulatory control. Safe Drinking Water aims to raise understanding and awareness of those factors that have most commonly contributed to or caused drinking-water-transmitted disease outbreaks - essentially a case-history analysis within the multi-barrier framework. It contains detailed analysis of the failures underlying drinking-water-transmitted disease epidemics that have been documented in the open literature, by public inquiry, in investigation reports, in surveillance databases and other reliable information sources. The book adopts a theme of 'converting hindsight into foresight', to inform drinking-water and health professionals including operators, managers, engineers, chemists and microbiologists, regulators, as well as undergraduates and graduates at specialty level. Key Features: Contains details and perspectives of major outbreaks not widely known or understood beyond those directly involved in the investigations. Technical and scientific background associated with case studies is offered in an accessible summary form. Does not require specialist training or experience to comprehend the details of the numerous outbreaks reviewed. By providing a broad-spectrum review using a consistent approach, several key recurring themes are revealed that offer insights for developing localized, tailor-made prevention strategies.

The parasitic load in cold northern climates is widely under-appreciated. Many texts on parasitology concentrate on tropical parasitic infections, so the reader can be forgiven for thinking that parasites are not a problem in the northern part of the world. Parasites of the Colder Climates redresses the balance by focusing on parasites indigenous to the cooler climates of the northern hemisphere. A multi-authored text-with chapters covering Scandinavia and the Baltic States, Canada, Alaska, Iceland and Russia-this book provides a comprehensive overview of the parasites present in northern climates and the diseases that they cause. Topics include epidemiology, biology and pathogenesis, clinical presentations, laboratory investigations and methods for laboratory diagnosis. Parasites of the Colder Climates presents a concise single reference of diagnostic methods and preventative information for epidemiologists, clinicians and parasitologists and forms a unique account suitable for researchers, advanced undergraduates and postgraduates.

This book describes the role of the obligate inhabitants of all vertebrate genomes-endogenous retroviruses, especially those emerged in genomes rather recently, during primate evolution. It specially focuses on human endogenous retroviruses as well as other retroelements.

Written for the professional who has an immediate need for the information but has little or no training in the subject, Cleanroom Microbiology for the Non-Microbiologist, Second Edition introduces principles of microbiology. It explains the consequences of microbiological contamination, what contamination is all about, how microorganisms grow, and how they can be controlled. The author introduces the vocabulary of microbiology and the types, sources, control, and elimination of organisms encountered in the manufacture of sterile products. Beginning with a discussion of the various types of organisms, the text then covers applications for bacterial detection, avoidance of contamination, cleanroom design considerations, and validation of disinfection methods. New topics covered include: -International cleanroom standards -Application of rapid, automated methods for detecting and identifying microbial contaminants -In-depth examination of the role of biofilms in pure water systems -Increased coverage of production of therapeutic products derived from live tissues and cells

While evolving molecular diagnostic methods are being heralded for the role they will play in improving our ability to cultivate and identify bacteria, fungi, and viruses, the reality is that those new methods are still beyond the technical and financial reach of most clinical laboratories. Most clinical microbiology laboratories still rely upon culture methods for the identification of microorganisms of medical importance. The newest edition of the Handbook of Media for Clinical Microbiology addresses the needs of clinical microbiology laboratories and infectious disease researchers. Authored by Ronald Atlas and James Snyder, who over the years have built solid reputations among researchers for their exceptionally reliable media handbooks, this volume gives microbiologists in clinical and medical laboratories the reference they need to quickly and effectively deal with the modern challenges shaping the field. Organized for a fast-paced environment, this fully updated Second Edition provides clinical diagnostic laboratories with an easy-to-use reference for those routine and specialized media employed in the cultivation of pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Almost 1,650 media are described in this edition, among them many newly developed media designed for the rapid detection and identification of disease-causing microorganisms, including those responsible for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Describes media designed to cultivate and identify Escherichia coli O157:H7, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci Includes chromogenic or fluorogenic substrates that permit the rapid detection of specific pathogens critical to the diagnosis of individuals with specific infectious diseases The Handbook provides a compilation of the formulations, methods of preparation, and applications for media used in the clinical microbiology laboratory. Listings are alphabetical, and each inc

Uniting-for the first time-current information on anaerobic fungi from a number of different disciplines, this unique reference examines the taxonomy, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and ecology of anaerobic fungi-focusing on fungi from the rumen and other gut environments such as the cecum and hindgut of nonruminant herbivores. Anaerobic Fungi Presents new techniques for culturing anaerobic fungi! analyzes the isolation, culture, and survival of anaerobic fungi describes the nucleic acids of anaerobic fungi, gene cloning, and the establishment of molecular phylogeny discusses the fermentation of carbohydrates explains how anaerobic fungi interact with other microorganisms investigates the ultrastructure of plant cell walls degraded by fungi details the effects of diet on fungal populations delineates specific procedures for quantifying anaerobic fungi outlines potential directions for future research in molecular genetics and more!

The book 'Root Biology' written by experts in the field, covers latest research on cellular, genetic, physiological and ecological developmental facets of root growth as well as the interaction of root with an array of microbes whether for the establishment of symbiosis, increasing plant growth or protecting plant from pathogens/attackers. Plant roots provide an excellent model to study physiological, developmental and metabolic processes at a system level. Root system architecture - an excellent creation of nature, is closely interconnected with the availability of soil nutrients. Several strategies including biotechnological interventions are gaining interest and importance for sustainable food production and enhanced resource acquisition. Such strategies have largely focused on root traits for efficient utilization of soil resources. The biotechnological application of root biology is expected to promote the production of food while maintaining ecologically and economically sustainable production systems. With a fortune of information on technical and experimental aspects useful in the laboratory, this extensive book is a valuable resource for researchers, academician and students in the broad field of microbiology, plant and fungal biology.

Many different kinds of animals have adopted a parasitic life style on the skin and gills of marine and freshwater fishes, including protozoans, flatworms, leeches, a range of crustaceans and even some vertebrates (lampreys). There is a parasitic barnacle, described first in the 19th century by Charles Darwin, fish lice that change sex and bivalve molluscs parasitic only when young. This book explores for the first time in one volume, the remarkable biology of these little known and frequently bizarre animals.

The following closely interwoven themes are considered for each group of parasites: how they find their hosts, how they attach, feed and reproduce, the damage they inflict and how the hosta (TM)s immune system retaliates. Based on the British fauna, but extending where appropriate to examples from North America, Australia and elsewhere, the book is essential reading, not just for the professional parasitologist, but also for anyone interested in fishes and in this neglected field of British natural history.

With the enquiring naturalist in mind, terms and concepts are explained as they arise, backed up by a glossary, and the text is liberally illustrated. An introductory chapter on fish biology sets the scene and common fish names are used throughout, as well as scientific names.

Fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables have an excellent safety record. However, surveillance data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and recent foodborne illness outbreaks have demonstrated that the incidence of foodborne illnesses linked to the consumption of contaminated fresh fruit and vegetable products may in fact be more prevalent than previously thought. U.S. FDA and USDA microbiological surveys of domestic and imported fresh fruits and vegetables demonstrate that human pathogens are sporadically found to be associated with fresh produce. In addition to increased safety concerns, microbial spoilage represents a significant source of waste for growers, packers, retailers, and consumers. Microbiology of Fruits and Vegetables reviews the extensive research that has been conducted on microbiological problems relating to the safety and spoilage of fruits and vegetables in recent years. It considers incidences of human pathogen contamination, sources of microbial contamination, microbial attachment to produce surfaces, intractable spoilage problems, efficacy of sanitizing treatments for fresh produce, novel interventions for produce disinfection, and methodology for microbiological evaluation of fruits and vegetables. The text is divided into five sections: (I) contamination and state of microflora on fruits and vegetables (II) microbial spoilage of fruits and vegetables (III) food safety issues (IV) interventions to reduce spoilage and risk of foodborne illness (V) microbiological evaluation of fruits and vegetables. In Microbiology of Fruits and Vegetables, the editors, three leaders in the field, have endeavored to present a comprehensive examination, focusing on issues needing coverage, rather than attempting an encyclopedic compilation. They have selected chapter authors who are active researchers in their respective fields and thus bring a working knowledge of current issues, industry practices, and advances in technology.

Teaching can happen anywhere, at any time - not just in classrooms but in churches, in bookstores, in homes, anywhere people get together to share ideas that affect their daily life. In Teaching Community, bell hooks shows how complex ideas of cultural theory can be simplified and made relevant to the lives of working people, and how the values of shared knowledge and learning can be a catalyst for progressive social change. Teaching - so often undervalued in our society - can be a joyous and inclusive activity and, as hooks shows, can never be confined to the classroom.

This is a thorough revision and update of the highly successful first edition, which which achieved sales in excess of 4,500. The text serves as a comprehensive introduction to parasitology for both undergraduate and beginning graduate students. In this edition, particular emphasis is placed on parasites of human and veterinary importance. The first three chapters in the text are concerned with how parasites 'work, ' their biochemistry, molecular and cell biology and physiology. The remaining chapters cover ecology and epidemiology, immunology and chemotherapy, with the final chapter covering integrated control. This new edition contains new material on cell and molecular biology, vectors and control, which is in contrast to the general biological approach of the first edition. The second edition will succeed the first as the major text on parasitology for students in biology, zoology, microbiology, medicine, veterinary medicine, tropical medicine and public health

This work sheds new light on the interplay between the gut, gut microbiota, and host physiological processes in production animals. The gut microbiome shapes health and susceptibility to disease and has become a leading area of research in the animal sciences. Gut health encompasses a number of physiological and functional features. Nutrient digestion and absorption, host metabolism and energy generation, a stable microbiome, mucus layer development, barrier function, and mucosal immune responses; all of which are required to interact to make an animal perform physiologically and according to its greatest genetic potential. This carefully presented book broadens our vision, approach and results on gut health and the ability to regulate animal production. Understanding the chemistry of microbiomes has broad implications, including providing functional annotations for the microbial genomes, insights into the chemical languages that link microbes to each other and to their host, and translational implications for precision veterinary medicine, environmental health, and sustainable animal agriculture and welfare. Experts working in microbiome research, host immunity, and animal production, veterinarians and researchers in livestock science will understand the great importance of this volume.

This book is published on behalf of the Biological Stain Commission.
For 75 years "Conn's Biological Stains "has been a standard reference for all those who used dyes and colorants in the biological and medical sciences. This long-awaited Tenth Edition appears 25 years after R.D. Lillie's Ninth Edition and has been completely rewritten to reflect the increase in range of uses. Although the staining of microscopical preparations continues to expand the uses of dyes and fluorochromes now extend far beyond this traditional application.
This book provides the first critical overview of the whole range of low molecular weight fluorescent probes, outside the catalog literature. The first ten chapters are essays, by leading experts, on the important aspects of colorants and their uses. Most of the remainder of the book consists of descriptions by Dr. Horobin of the properties and recent applications of hundreds of individual compounds, in about twenty chemical classes. The last chapter reviews the procedures employed at the Biological Stain Commission's laboratory to assay and test dyes and certify them as suitable for their intended applications.

This is an engaging and fascinating story of a conditional human success story. Smallpox has been one of the most devastating scourges of humanity throughout recorded history, and it is the only human illness to have been eradicated, though polio may soon follow it to official extinction through human agency. However, while smallpox is officially extinct in nature, literally tons of the virus remain in guarded storage in Russia and at Fort Detrick in the US. Our fears that smallpox may return as a weapon of bioterrorists have led to the stockpiling of vaccine, and continuing vigilance, even though the official victory over smallpox is now 15 years old. The Life and Death of Smallpox presents the entire engaging history of our struggle and ultimate (?) victory over one of our oldest and worst enemies. The story of the campaign to track down and eradicate the virus throughout the world - the difficulties, setbacks, and the challenges successfully met - is a highlight of a fascinating book, but we can't be confident of the ending. The final chapter of the book clearly and authoritatively explains the current status of the threat, from the deliberate release of smallpox or other potential agents of biological terrorism.

ANOXIA defines the lack of free molecular oxygen in an environment. In the presence of organic matter, anaerobic prokaryotes produce compounds such as free radicals, hydrogen sulfide, or methane that are typically toxic to aerobes. The concomitance of suppressed respiration and presence of toxic substances suggests these habitats are inhospitable to Eukaryota. Ecologists sometimes term such environments 'Death Zones'. This book presents, however, a collection of remarkable adaptations to anoxia, observed in Eukaryotes such as protists, animals, plants and fungi. Case studies provide evidence for controlled beneficial use of anoxia by, for example, modification of free radicals, use of alternative electron donors for anaerobic metabolic pathways, and employment of anaerobic symbionts. The complex, interwoven existence of oxic and anoxic conditions in space and time is also highlighted as is the idea that eukaryotic inhabitation of anoxic habitats was established early in Earth history.

This thoroughly revised and updated reference provides comprehensive coverage of the latest developments and scientific advances in dairy microbiologya "emphasizing probiotics, fermented dairy products, disease prevention, and public health and regulatory control standards for dairy foods.

Containing more than 2350 bibliographic citations, tables, drawings and photographsa "550 more than the previous editiona "Applied Dairy Microbiology, Second Edition is an invaluable reference for all food and dairy microbiologists, scientists, and technologists; toxicologists; food processors; sanitarians; dietitians; epidemiologists; bacteriologists; public health and regulatory personnel; and veterinarians; and an important text for upper-level undergraduate, graduate, and continuing-education students in these disciplines.

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The objective of this book is to present a critical review and evaluation of the so-called conventional methods currently being used for bacterial identification, as well as to discuss the new approaches for the detection and identification of bacteria. Morphological, biochemical, and serological methods of detection and identification of bacteria in clinical specimens are emphasised, and current methods of characterization and enumeration of bacteria in air, water, milk, and other food materials are also described.

Viral Pathogenesis in Diagrams is the first book of its kind to illustrate viral pathogenesis on a comparative basis. The text covers the pathogenesis of viral diseases, including vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, and protists. The diagrams summarize and integrate large numbers of observations, from electron microscopy to clinical data, into a single picture or a few related drawings.

Organized alphabetically by virus family or groups, this book covers the complete domain of virology. Transcending photographs and experimental data, the diagrams are ideally suited to illustrate the pathogenesis of viral diseases, from infection to host defenses and cell death.

Included are two chapters describing general pathogenesis in vertebrate virus infections and illustrating the spread of viruses through the body, as well as cytopathology and host defenses. One chapter illustrates the pathogenic behavior of 19 vertebrate virus families, especially herpesviruses and retroviruses.

The 268 diagrams in Viral Pathogenesis in Diagrams were selected from over 800 diagrams of English and French virological literature, including one derived from a famous drawing by Leonardo da Vinci. This up-to-date reference will promote understanding and future research.

The abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria and archaea (SRBA) is impressive and new isolates are being reported continuously. A few decades ago, only two genera of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) had been identified. As of 2018, 92 genera containing more than 420 species of SRB have been isolated and characterized and there are several species of archaea. This book addresses the development of the research with SRBA and includes historical background of this field. Biochemical characterization of the enzymes, cytochromes and electron carriers involved with dissimilatory sulfate reduction are reviewed and the presence of relevant genes in cultured and uncultured SRBA are assessed using genome analysis. The contributions of transmembrane electron transport complexes as related to cell energetics are discussed. This book highlights the unique cellular and molecular features of the SRBA and discusses the biochemical interactions behind their metabolic capabilities which enable SRBA to grow in extreme environments. Examples are provided to detoxify and alleviate pollution situations, to evaluate mechanisms proposed for corrosion of ferrous metals and to examine the effects of SRB on human and animal hosts.

Numerous infectious diseases are described as idiopathic, meaning that "the cause is a complete mystery." For many idiopathic diseases, the causes become clear when certain techniques are applied to the patient's blood or other tissues. Cell Wall Deficient Forms: Stealth Pathogens, Third Edition describes these techniques. In the case of tuberculosis, a disease that has recently regained importance because the strains have acquired antibiotic resistance, the book describes a method that is widely used abroad. This method typically renders the diagnosis within 72 hours. The book examines a plethora of issues and provides answers to the following questions:
o What organism should be added to the childhood vaccine, especially for boys?
o What bacteria in its pleomorphic state is found in direct smears of synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis cases?
o In which chronic diseases ( presently considered as being of unknown origin) is an acid-fast organism routinely found in smears of 72 hour blood cultures?
o Which "bacterium" has a life cycle in the human erythrocyte as complex as that of Plasmodium malaria?
o Which common pathogen's L Form can permanently damage myocardium mammaliam?
Cell Wall Deficient Forms: Stealth Pathogens, Third Edition discloses significant aspects of microbiology, aspects that are not taught, and which go unrecognized in the clinical laboratory.