The extreme microbiomes are those microorganisms thriving under extreme conditions where no other living being will have any chance to survive. The extreme habitats are those presenting high temperatures (thermophiles), low temperature (psychrophiles), hypersaline environments (halophiles), low and high pH (Acidophiles/alkaliphiles), high pressure (Piezophiles) are distributed worldwide. The extreme habitats have proved to offer a unique reservoir of genetic diversity and biological source of extremophiles. The extremophilic microbial diversity and their biotechnological potential use in agricultural and industrial applications will be a milestone for future needs. Extremophiles and their cell components, therefore, are expected to play an important role in the chemical, food, pharmaceutical, paper and textile industries as well as environmental biotechnology.

This proceedings book presents the main findings of the 13th International Seminar on Polymer Science and Technology ( ISPST 2018), which was held at Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, on November 10-22, 2018. This forum was the culmination of more than three decades of academic and industrial activities of Iranian scholars and professionals, and the participation of many notable international scientists, in covering various important polymer-related subjects of concern to Iran and the world at large, including polymer synthesis, processing and properties, as well as issues concerning polymer degradation, stability, and environmental aspects. For the past half a century, the growing concern for advancing human health, quality of life, and - especially in the last few decades - avoiding and combating environmental pollution have shaped and driven scientific activities geared toward the creation of smart materials that are compatible with the human body, and have prompted scientists and technologists to pursue research using natural and sustainable sources. This book highlights efforts to responsibly address the problems caused by, and which can potentially be solved by, polymers and plastics.

Qanat is a gently sloping subterranean canal, which taps a water-bearing zone at a higher elevation than cultivated lands. A qanat consist of a series of vertical shafts in sloping ground, interconnected at the bottom by a tunnel with a gradient flatter than that of the ground. From the air, this system looks like a line of anthills leading from the foothills across the desert to the greenery of an irrigated settlement. Qanat engages a variety of knowledge and its studying entails an interdisciplinary approach. In a traditional realm, qanats are embraced by a socio-economic system which guarantees their sustainability. The facets of this socio-economic system operate closely together and make it possible for the qanats to remain into future. Veins of the Desert shows that digging a qanat requires a variety of sciences and technologies, though at a glance qanat is just a horizontal tunnel which drains out groundwater. Qanat is a feat of technology left from our ancestors; hidden underground, but its technical importance is apparent, not less valuable than such surface structures as bridges, castles, towers, etc. Qanat enjoys extended structures and sometimes its length reaches tens of kilometers. It passes through geological formations and faces different conditions and obstacles, so the qanat masters' efforts to solve these problems led to the accumulation of knowledge in terms of qanat construction over time, which has been handed down from generation to generation. Qanat is one of the most complicated traditional technologies, which require knowledge on nature ranging from groundwater to management. This indigenous technology used to bring water efficiently from tens of kilometers away to the thirsty lands. This book also gives insight into cultural and social heritages, which have crystalized around this technique. This cultural heritage still influences social life of the people living in such regions as central plateau of Iran where qanat has been the only means of supplying water. This technology is the focal point of the genesis of a particular civilization in the arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. The harsh environment drove those people to invent the technology of qanat and the know-how revolving around it. Qanat carries a tradition of science and technology which used to be practiced in order to overcome the technical obstacles in qanat construction. Thus, qanat is not only an irrigational means, but it should be seen as a technical and cultural legacy which deserves more attention. This book is a small encyclopedia on qanat system, providing the readers with easy answers to their questions about different aspects of this ancient technology.

The extreme microbiomes are those microorganisms thriving under extreme conditions where no other living being will have any chance to survive. The extreme habitats are those presenting high temperatures (thermophiles), low temperature (psychrophiles), hypersaline environments (halophiles), low and high pH (Acidophiles/alkaliphiles), high pressure (Piezophiles) are distributed worldwide. The extreme habitats have proved to offer a unique reservoir of genetic diversity and biological source of extremophiles. The extremophilic microbial diversity and their biotechnological potential use in agricultural and industrial applications will be a milestone for future needs. Extremophiles and their cell components, therefore, are expected to play an important role in the chemical, food, pharmaceutical, paper and textile industries as well as environmental biotechnology.

This book focuses on the different kinds of biofuels and biofuel resources. Biofuels represent a major type of renewable energy. As part of a larger bio-economy, they are closely linked to agriculture, forestry and manufacturing. Biofuels have the potential to improve regional energy access, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to climate protection. Further, this alternative form of energy could revitalize the forestry and agricultural sector and promote the increased use of renewable resources as raw materials in a range of industrial processes. Efforts are continuously being made to develop economically competitive biofuels, and microbes play important roles in the production of biofuels from various bioresources. This book elaborates on recent advances in existing microbial technologies and on sustainable approaches to improving biofuel production processes. Additionally, it examines trends in, and the limitations of, existing processes and technologies. The book offers a comprehensive overview of microbial bioresources, microbial technologies, advances in bioconversion and biorefineries, as well as microbial and metabolic engineering for efficient biofuel production. Readers will also learn about the environmental impacts and the influence of climate change on the sustainability of biofuel production. This book is intended for researchers and students whose work involves biorefinery technologies, microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, environmental biology and related fields.

Our country's cultural legacy is one of the world's most diverse, drawing millions of visitors every year to our convents and monuments, and to our museums, libraries, concert halls and festivals. In addition, it is a dynamic trigger of economic activity and jobs. Among the various scientific branches, microbial biotechnology offers an innovative and precise approach to the complexity of problems that restorers face in their daily work. This book discusses a range of topics, including the biodiversity of microbial communities from various cultural heritage monuments, microbial biotechnological cleaning techniques, the role of bacterial fungal communities for the conservation of cultural heritage, and microbial enzymes and their potential applications as biorestoration agents. Written by internationally recognized experts, and providing up-to-date and detailed insights into microbial biotechnology approaches to cultural heritage monuments, the book is a valuable resource for biological scientists, especially microbiologists, microbial biotechnologists, biochemists and microbial biotechnologists.

This proceedings book presents the main findings of the 13th International Seminar on Polymer Science and Technology ( ISPST 2018), which was held at Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, on November 10-22, 2018. This forum was the culmination of more than three decades of academic and industrial activities of Iranian scholars and professionals, and the participation of many notable international scientists, in covering various important polymer-related subjects of concern to Iran and the world at large, including polymer synthesis, processing and properties, as well as issues concerning polymer degradation, stability, and environmental aspects. For the past half a century, the growing concern for advancing human health, quality of life, and - especially in the last few decades - avoiding and combating environmental pollution have shaped and driven scientific activities geared toward the creation of smart materials that are compatible with the human body, and have prompted scientists and technologists to pursue research using natural and sustainable sources. This book highlights efforts to responsibly address the problems caused by, and which can potentially be solved by, polymers and plastics.

Our country's cultural legacy is one of the world's most diverse, drawing millions of visitors every year to our convents and monuments, and to our museums, libraries, concert halls and festivals. In addition, it is a dynamic trigger of economic activity and jobs. Among the various scientific branches, microbial biotechnology offers an innovative and precise approach to the complexity of problems that restorers face in their daily work. This book discusses a range of topics, including the biodiversity of microbial communities from various cultural heritage monuments, microbial biotechnological cleaning techniques, the role of bacterial fungal communities for the conservation of cultural heritage, and microbial enzymes and their potential applications as biorestoration agents. Written by internationally recognized experts, and providing up-to-date and detailed insights into microbial biotechnology approaches to cultural heritage monuments, the book is a valuable resource for biological scientists, especially microbiologists, microbial biotechnologists, biochemists and microbial biotechnologists.

This book focuses on the different kinds of biofuels and biofuel resources. Biofuels represent a major type of renewable energy. As part of a larger bio-economy, they are closely linked to agriculture, forestry and manufacturing. Biofuels have the potential to improve regional energy access, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to climate protection. Further, this alternative form of energy could revitalize the forestry and agricultural sector and promote the increased use of renewable resources as raw materials in a range of industrial processes. Efforts are continuously being made to develop economically competitive biofuels, and microbes play important roles in the production of biofuels from various bioresources. This book elaborates on recent advances in existing microbial technologies and on sustainable approaches to improving biofuel production processes. Additionally, it examines trends in, and the limitations of, existing processes and technologies. The book offers a comprehensive overview of microbial bioresources, microbial technologies, advances in bioconversion and biorefineries, as well as microbial and metabolic engineering for efficient biofuel production. Readers will also learn about the environmental impacts and the influence of climate change on the sustainability of biofuel production. This book is intended for researchers and students whose work involves biorefinery technologies, microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, environmental biology and related fields.

The True Dream is a Persian satirical drama set in Isfahan in the lead up to Iran's Constitutional Revolution of 1905-11. Although its three authors hail from the clerical class, they criticize the arrogance, corruption and secularity of the Iranian ruling dynasty and clergy, taking Isfahan as their example. The work blends fact and fiction by summoning the prominent men of the city to account for themselves on the Day of Judgement. God speaks offstage, delivering withering judgements of their behaviour. The dream of the authors is a vision of an Iran governed by law, where justice prevails and the clergy are honestly religious. This book has the Persian and English translation on facing pages. The introduction presents brief biographies of the authors - who wrote anonymously, but were all executed. One of the authors was the father of Mohammad-Ali Jamalzadeh, a pioneer of modern Persian fiction, and The True Dream was one of the first dramas, in European style, to be written in Persian. The book shows that today's struggle for a modern society began more than a century ago, and then and now pivots on the role of the Islamic clerics (the ulama). Using colloquial language, this first English translation of a significant and humorous Persian satirical drama will prove an accessible and valuable resource for students of Persian. By marking a significant point in the influence of Western political philosophy and Western drama on the Persian intellectual classes, this book will also appeal to students and scholars of Middle Eastern History and Political Science.

The True Dream is a Persian satirical drama set in Isfahan in the lead up to Iran's Constitutional Revolution of 1905-11. Although its three authors hail from the clerical class, they criticize the arrogance, corruption and secularity of the Iranian ruling dynasty and clergy, taking Isfahan as their example. The work blends fact and fiction by summoning the prominent men of the city to account for themselves on the Day of Judgement. God speaks offstage, delivering withering judgements of their behaviour. The dream of the authors is a vision of an Iran governed by law, where justice prevails and the clergy are honestly religious. This book has the Persian and English translation on facing pages. The introduction presents brief biographies of the authors - who wrote anonymously, but were all executed. One of the authors was the father of Mohammad-Ali Jamalzadeh, a pioneer of modern Persian fiction, and The True Dream was one of the first dramas, in European style, to be written in Persian. The book shows that today's struggle for a modern society began more than a century ago, and then and now pivots on the role of the Islamic clerics (the ulama). Using colloquial language, this first English translation of a significant and humorous Persian satirical drama will prove an accessible and valuable resource for students of Persian. By marking a significant point in the influence of Western political philosophy and Western drama on the Persian intellectual classes, this book will also appeal to students and scholars of Middle Eastern History and Political Science.

Uncertainty in Data Envelopment Analysis: Fuzzy and Belief Degree-Based Uncertainties introduces methods to investigate uncertain data in DEA models, providing a deeper look into two types of uncertain DEA methods: Fuzzy DEA and Belief Degree Based Uncertainty DEA, which are based on uncertain measures. These models aim to solve problems encountered by classical data analysis in cases where inputs and outputs of systems and processes are volatile and complex, making measurement difficult. Classical data envelopment analysis (DEA) models use crisp data in order to measure inputs and outputs of a given system. Crisp input and output data are fundamentally indispensable in the conventional DEA models. If these models contain complex-uncertain data, then they will become more important and practical for decision-makers.

This book discusses various renewable energy resources and technologies. Topics covered include recent advances in photobioreactor design; microalgal biomass harvesting, drying, and processing; and technological advances and optimised production systems as prerequisites for achieving a positive energy balance. It highlights alternative resources that can be used to replace fossil fuels, such as algal biofuels, biodiesel, bioethanol, and biohydrogen. Further, it reviews microbial technologies, discusses an immobilization method, and highlights the efficiency of enzymes as a key factor in biofuel production. In closing, the book outlines future research directions to increase oil yields in microalgae, which could create new opportunities for lipid-based biofuels, and provides an outlook on the future of global biofuel production. Given its scope, the book will appeal to all researchers and engineers working in the renewable energy sector.

Microbes are ubiquitous in nature, and plant-microbe interactions are a key strategy for colonizing diverse habitats. The plant microbiome (epiphytic, endophytic and rhizospheric) plays an important role in plant growth and development and soil health. Further, rhizospheric soil is a valuable natural resource, hosting hotspots of microbes, and is vital in the maintenance of global nutrient balance and ecosystem function. The term endophytic microbes refers to those microorganisms that colonize the interior the plants. The phyllosphere is a common niche for synergism between microbes and plants and includes the leaf surface. The diverse group of microbes are key components of soil-plant systems, and where they are engaged in an extensive network of interactions in the rhizosphere/endophytic/phyllospheric they have emerged as an important and promising tool for sustainable agriculture. Plant microbiomes help to directly or indirectly promote plant growth using plant growth promoting attributes, and could potentially be used as biofertilizers/bioinoculants in place of chemical fertilizers. This book allows readers to gain an understanding of microbial diversity associated with plant systems and their role in plant growth, and soil health. Offering an overview of the state of the art in plant microbiomes and their potential biotechnological applications in agriculture and allied sectors, it is a valuable resource for scientists, researchers and students in the field of microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, environmental biology and related subjects.

New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Trends of Microbial Biotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture and Biomedicine Systems: Perspectives for Human Health discusses how microbial biotechnology helps us understand new strategies to reduce pathogens and drug resistance through microbial biotechnology. The most commonly used probiotic bacteria are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Therefore, the probiotic strains exhibit powerful anti-inflammatory, antiallergic and other important properties. This new book provides an indispensable reference source for engineers/bioengineers, biochemists, biotechnologists, microbiologists, pharmacologists, and researchers who want to know about the unique properties of this microbe and explore its sustainable biomedicine future applications.

New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Trends of Microbial Biotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture and Biomedicine Systems: Diversity and Functional Perspectives describes how specific techniques can be used to generalize the metabolism of bacteria that optimize biologic improvement strategies and bio-transport processes. Microbial biotechnology focuses on microbes of agricultural, environmental, industrial, and clinical significance. This volume discusses several methods based on molecular genetics, systems, and biology of synthetic, genomic, proteomic, and metagenomics. Recent developments in our understanding of the role of microbes in sustainable agriculture and biotechnology have created a highly potential research area. The soil and plant microbiomes have a significant role in plant growth promotion, crop yield, soil health and fertility for sustainable developments. The microbes provide nutrients and stimulate plant growth through different mechanisms, including solubilization of phosphorus, potassium, and zinc; biological nitrogen fixation; production of siderophore, ammonia, HCN and other secondary metabolites which are antagonistic against pathogenic microbes. This new book provides an indispensable reference source for engineers/bioengineers, biochemists, biotechnologists, microbiologists, agrochemists, and researchers who want to know about the unique properties of this microbe and explore its sustainable agriculture future applications.

Posterior resin composite restorations have been accepted as a valid treatment option when a controlled clinical environment is achieved. Various clinical techniques have been published suggesting methods to overcome shrinkage problems and to achieve an improved marginal seal. This study is a clinical trial to determine the presence and absence of postoperative sensitivity after placement of posterior composite restorations with two placement techniques in different depth of cavities in a dental hospital.

Cotton is an important fiber crop of Pakistan and is also the second most important oilseed crop in the world. The cotton plant possesses a narrow range of ecological adaptability and is very much influenced by the climatic conditions. Among many factors causing low yield, sowing time and plant spacing are more important. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of different sowing times and plant distances on the growth, seed cotton yield and quality of cotton genotype BH-160 under the agro-ecological conditions of Rahim Yar Khan in irrigated environment. It may be concluded from this study that the boll number, boll weight and yield per plant decreased with closer spacing but seed cotton yield per hectare increased. The 15 cm plant to plant spacing produced more seed cotton yield due to more number to of plants per hectare, which compensated the other, yield components. Plants spacing however did not affect G.O.T%, seed index and fibre quality and plant height. Sowing date of 15th May gave maximum seed cotton yield and did not effect on monopodial branches.

Fundamentals of hydraulics and hydrology are used to present the basic theory necessary to understand hydropower engineering. The proposed hydel scheme lies on Upper Chenab Canal Lower at RD 283 using the available discharge data of UCC for past ten years, daily flow duration curve, hydrograph and rating curve are developed which are used to analyze and select suitable pattern for power generation. The proposed layout of the study recommended is conventional powerhouse with a spillway discharge downstream of RD 283. The procedures presented fill a need for an authoritative technique to help in the design and environmental aspects of planning for potential projects. Estimated total cost of the project is Rs. 219.509 million inclusive of Rs. 62.600 million as foreign exchange compared. Internal rate of return in case of this study is 32.95% Comparison of the results with equivalent diesel generation shows the economic viability of the project. Project is relatively marginal and very small in terms of energy contribution yet it is commended for implementation in view of acute shortage of electricity in the country at present.