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This fully updated and expanded second edition of a highly popular text book focuses on the structure and mechanism in carbohydrate chemistry and biochemistry. Carbohydrates play important roles in biological systems as energy sources, as structural materials, and as informational structures (when they are often attached to proteins or lipids). Their chemical reactivity and conformational behaviour is governed by mechanistic and stereochemical rules, which apply as much to enzymic as to non-enzymic reactivity. The same principles of reactivity and conformation govern changes brought about in the process industries, such as pulp, paper and food. Extensively referenced with citations and a detailed index, the book contains everything the reader needs to know to start a carbohydrate research project with one of the real strengths being the treatment and integration of the important physical-chemical principles and methods (though lead references only are given to the finer points of carbohydrate synthesis). The book is suitable for both researchers who are new to the subject and those more established as well as a readership from diverse backgrounds and interests, including chemists, biochemists, food scientists and technologists involved with the processing of polysaccharides in the paper, textile, cosmetics, biofuels and other industries.

Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins is a broad ranging title comprising a selection of comprehensive and critical reviews of significant developments at the biology and chemistry interface. Compiled by leading researchers in their subject, this volume incorporates current trends and emerging areas reflecting the state-of-the-art research in this field. Appealing broadly to researchers in academia and industry, it will be of great benefit to any researcher wanting a succinct reference in this field and looking at the future.

Proteins are an important nutrient and ingredient in food as well as in nutritional supplements. The application and take up of food proteins, especially plant proteins, has been limited due to their undesirable sensory properties, e.g. taste, odour, and chalky mouth feel. This will need to change if the availability of meat protein becomes scarcer. Documenting the latest research, this book is the first overview of the recent advances in flavour research of food proteins, with an emphasis on the major plant proteins, e.g. soy and pulse proteins. The topics to be covered include sensory and instrumental characterization of flavour compounds in food proteins, how flavour profiles in food proteins can be formed or altered, research advances of individual food proteins, the use of food protein products as flavouring ingredients, and future trends of flavouring food proteins. There is a growing interest in using plant proteins in food formulation and industrial applications, but no book has yet covered this systematically until now. Summarizing research advances in consumer studies and flavour chemistry that focus on food proteins, the book will discuss the flavour properties and problems in each major and novel food protein source for the academic and industry market.

In the human body, there are millions of living microorganisms involved in protecting the body from invaders, helping digestion and regulating moods, but there are also harmful pathogens that cause infectious diseases. For instance, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused considerable loss of life since its outbreak. Comprehensive analysis and characterization of microbes is of significant importance to understand the function and role of microorganisms, and rapid detection and identification of unknown pathogens are essential in early diagnosis, treatment monitoring and personalized medicine. Mass spectrometry is a technique to ionize molecules and detect the mass-to-charge ratio of the generated ions. The technique is widely used in hospitals for pathogenic bacteria identification, as well as in environmental science and food science for biosafety control. This book summarizes the most recent development of mass spectrometry techniques in microbial analysis, including mass spectrometry-based microbial identification, bacterial antimicrobial resistance study, data mining algorithm development, omics for microbial research, applications in clinical diagnosis, environmental science and food science, and more. It will guide researchers in the field, and those who are about to enter the field, in the most appropriate methods to characterize microbes and enable their detection.

Antibiotic resistance is a global health concern. Strains of pathogenic microorganisms that have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, such as MRSA, are extremely difficult to treat, and alternative methods for tackling pathogenic microorganisms are in demand. One potential target for new therapeutics is inhibition of quorum sensing: how microorganisms communicate and form biofilms in a density-dependent manner. Inhibiting this system via ‘quorum quenching'(QQ) is a promising route to new pharmaceuticals and for controlling biofilm formation and growth. Quorum sensing also provides interesting possibilities in synthetic biology for producing novel products, biosensors, bioactive molecules, and so on. This book covers the biology of quorum sensing and quenching, and potential sources of QQ enzymes and other inhibitors, as well as an overview of their mechanism and potential biotech applications. The book also covers the potential for new drug development from QQ, covering a range of related topics including protein engineering, imaging and computational studies, and integrated systems. This book is an ideal companion to researchers in chemical biology and medicinal chemistry, particularly those interested in biofilm formation, quorum sensing, novel antimicrobial development, synthetic biology and enzymology.

Focusing on the complexity of the food digestion process from oral cavity to intestine, this book looks at the anatomical intricacies of the digestive system, techniques currently used to study food digestibility, the glycemic index and bioavailability of food components. It also provides a detailed understanding of various modification techniques critical to any food product development, such as modification of food structure, its composition, and size. Being the first of its kind to provide an in-depth idea of various stages of food digestion, whilst linking it with approaches in modifying foods so as to cater to specific food or functional requirements, the book provides an integrated approach. Existing methods to understand the process of food digestion and advances in artificial systems that have been used for such studies are presented, substantiated with findings from scientific publications. Apart from readers from the field of medicine, this book is highly inter-disciplinary and will attract readers from food science, nutrition and food physics.

Modern research in biology increasingly relies on multiple techniques for describing structures and mechanisms. This book provides an overview of the contemporary integrated biology approaches for solving structures and understanding mechanisms of complex biological systems. It includes several methodology chapters discussing the current developments in the areas of cryo-electron microscopy (EM) and cryo-electron tomography (ET), computational biophysics, solution NMR spectroscopy, solid-state NMR spectroscopy and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), (photo-)chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (CIDNP), X-ray crystallography and small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS). Several subsequent chapters demonstrate how these methods are used in synergy to address problems at the forefront of structural biology, with particular emphasis on examples where individual techniques are insufficient. Examples of biological systems include membrane proteins, viral protein assemblies, cytoskeleton protein assemblies, photosynthetic reaction centers, large enzyme complexes and whole cells. The book is targeted to both the current practitioners of structural biology and scientists who are interested in entering the fields of structural biology or biophysical chemistry.

In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in using nanotechnology in medicine to diagnose and cure various infectious diseases. Although the precise mechanism of action is frequently challenged, many nanosized materials have been extensively explored for this purpose, using their innately unique features. Their functionality has also been enhanced by the addition of various coatings, such as those that increase chemical stability and stealth properties or contain targeting agents that lessen off-target effects while producing effective'smart'nanoplatforms for the early detection, treatment, and possibly resolution of diseases. This book aims to compile research and review articles that concentrate on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles, with a focus on investigating novel ways to improve their properties and create new efficient diagnostic, therapeutic, or theranostic approaches with a clear understanding of how they work.

Looking to prevent future outbreaks of deadly pathogens by early detection? Infectious diseases continue to be a challenge that necessitates increased precision in detection and integration to achieve accurate diagnosis at the point of care (PoC). Field-effect transistors (FETs) have been investigated widely as biosensors for pathogen detection, with advantages such as label-free and real-time detection capabilities. These biosensors have: a high level of sensitivity, a remarkable capacity for miniaturization, a molecular minimum limit of detection (LoD), and seamless integration with semiconductor technology In this title, we have invited expert scientific researchers to share their experience in this field. This book focuses on the application and possibility of FETs as biosensors, for rapid and real time detection of pathogens that affect human life. The lack of commercially available efficient devices that can be deployed for this task resulted in the recent global spread of the SARS-CoV-19 virus. The book is an attempt to keep interested parties up to date. Aimed at scientists and engineers (researchers, academics, and postgraduate students) who are interested in developing and using BioFET based sensors, the information in this book is crucial to help prevent future outbreaks of pathogens which bring with them significant impacts on human health and wellbeing.

Circadian rhythms have been shown to be ubiquitous and critically important in the experimental laboratory, accounting for the difference between life and death in response to identical stimulus. The partly endogenous nature of circadian rhythms has been well documented and methods for their characterisation have been developed enabling the cellular and molecular mechanisms to be understood. Chronobiology and Chronomedicine aims to provide a review of these mechanisms underlying circadian rhythms and illustrate the role of the brain's suprachiasmatic nuclei in the ‘pace-making'process and the effects caused by ‘clock genes'present in almost all cells. Beyond the mechanisms involved, the book discusses the relationship between body systems, disease, and proper circadian function; in particular, how disruption of the circadian rhythm is associated with ill health and disease status from observations made at the organismic level. The book is organised to be an ideal introduction for the postgraduate in various fields, reviewing developments and outlining methods to show the depth and breadth of chronobiology and chronomedicine, as well as an invaluable companion to researchers and healthcare professionals working in the field with an interest in developing novel therapeutic approaches.

There is an increasing awareness that materials and chemicals produced from fossil fuels are not sustainable, both in terms of the pollution caused by the extraction and production processes, and the fact that there is only a finite supply of these fossil fuels. Therefore, there is a strong incentive to find sources for chemicals and materials from source materials that we know we can continue to generate. Plants are a source of a wide variety of chemicals, many with interesting properties, and these chemical feedstocks are considered renewable rather than finite. Green Chemistry and Green Materials from Plant Oils and Natural Acids covers the application of these natural materials in producing polymers, lubricants and plasticisers.

This book delves into the world of natural sources from medicinal plants, microbes, and fungi, to lichen, algae, and clay minerals that have been used for centuries in traditional medicine. These sources are rich in bioactive secondary metabolites that have a wide range of applications in various industries, including cosmetics and personal care products. This book provides a comprehensive guide to secondary metabolites for cosmeceutical purposes, regulatory perspectives for cosmeceuticals in different countries, and allergic responses from these secondary metabolites. Additionally, this book discusses the impact of nanotechnology on cosmetic products such as skin and hair care. Bioprospecting of Natural Sources for Cosmeceuticals is a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students in chemistry, botany, biotechnology, microbiology, cosmetic science, and the pharmaceutical sciences. It is also useful for those researching traditional medicine systems and those in the microbiology, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and nanoscience industries.

Describing the importance of surfactants in electrochemical investigations related to biologically and environmentally vital chemicals, this book charts the progression of highly responsive electrochemical sensors using surfactants as a modifying agent in the sensor field. It provides contributed chapters from respected researchers on information concerning the activity of target molecules and electron transfer kinetics arising at the surface of the fabricated sensor materials. Surfactant-based electrochemical sensors are of great interest in the quest to find low-cost, fast and highly responsive sensing devices and one aim of this book is to help improve the competence and knowledge in this newly emerging interdisciplinary research area. Attracting an audience of students, academics, industrialists and engineers, it will interest researchers seeking to use non-toxic sensors in their detection challenges.

As a result of their unique physical properties, biological membrane mimetics such as biopolymers are used in a broad range of scientific and technological applications. This comprehensive book covers new applications of biopolymers in the research and development of industrial scale nutraceutical and functional food grade products. All the major food biopolymers are included, from plant, animal and marine sources. Coverage also includes biopolymer-based drug delivery mechanisms intended for biological applications such as bio-detection of pathogens, fluorescent biological labels, and drug and gene delivery. This is the first interdisciplinary book to address this area specifically and is essential reading for those who produce the functional biopolymer materials as well as those who seek to incorporate them into appropriate nutraceutical, food and drug delivery products.

This publication is based on peer-reviewed manuscripts from the 2022 Conference on Current Trends in Drug Discovery, Development and Delivery (CTD4-2022) held at KL University, India. Providing a wide range of up to date topics on the latest advancements in drug design and discovery technologies, this book ensures the reader receives a good understanding of the scope of the field. Aimed at scientists, students, regulators, academics and consultants throughout the world, this book is an ideal resource for anyone interested in the state of the art in drug design and discovery.

Fungal natural products are among some of the earliest described sources of bioactive compounds. Basidiomycetes have been a prolific source of compounds, particularly as a source of antibiotics and antifungals. Despite advances in target-based and synthetic methods for drug discovery, natural products continue to be an important source of novel compounds. This book is a comprehensive guide to many important fungal species with a focus on their phytochemistry, potential sources of bioactive compounds, known chemistry and toxicology. This book is an ideal companion to researchers and postgraduates in phytochemistry and natural product pharmacology, and mycologists.

The phytochemical constituents of plants fall into two main categories based on their role in basic metabolic processes: primary and secondary. Primary metabolites are involved in basic life functions and are similar in all living cells, whereas secondary metabolites are derived from subsidiary pathways. Although traditionally referred to as secondary metabolites, more recently these compounds have been termed ‘plant specialized metabolites', as the exact biochemical boundary between primary and secondary metabolites has not been fully established. Plant specialized metabolites are the main elements in the study and use of ‘medicinal'plants and herbs, as well as in nutrition and food chemistry. In modern medicine, plant specialized metabolites provide many of the lead compounds in the production of medicines targeted at treating a broad variety of diseases. Such metabolites also play an important role in sessile plants to resist and withstand different biotic and abiotic stresses. Plant specialized metabolites are classified according to their chemical structures and this book will present the different classes in turn, while discussing their sources and distribution in plant families, their biosynthetic pathways, and their important and notable uses in phytochemistry and pharmacology. Chemical Diversity of Plant Specialized Metabolites will be a useful guide and reference point for chemists and students in many disciplines including synthetic organic chemists, medicinal chemists, plant scientists, pharmacognosists, chemical ecologists, bioengineers, and synthetic biologists, in addition to those working in related fields.

In recent years, consumers have been concentrating on the health benefits and nutrition from food to preserve a healthy lifestyle. They are looking for colorants derived from natural sources to enhance the nutritional and antioxidant value of foods. Coloured cereals (wheat, rice, barley, oat, maize, sorghum, and millets) contain many phytochemicals, including anthocyanins and carotenoids associated with numerous health benefits. This book presents a comprehensive overview of the bioactive potential, food applications, and health benefits of coloured cereal grains. Novel approaches to the integration of coloured grain into food in the food processing industries are included, reviewing high-value pigments in the bran layer which can easily be extracted and utilized as functional foods and natural colorants. Aimed at researchers carrying out innovative studies, food regulatory and safety authorities and food processing industries who are trying to minimize synthetic food colorants and dyes, this book provides a novel approach to the use of substitute synthetic dyes which can improve the nutritional value, appearance, texture, flavour, and storage properties of food products.

There has been increasing research into designing transition metal-containing dendrimers as innovative materials, especially in the field of biomedicine and pharmaceutical science. They have applications in biosensors and drug-delivery systems, and are now one of the leading classes in the design of therapeutics for drug-resistant diseases. This book introduces readers to a number of classes of metal-containing dendrimers, before moving onto their design and synthesis. Their applications in biomedicine are then discussed, before highlighting future research targets in this growing field. It emphasizes the synthetic strategies to design transition metal-containing dendrimers, and discusses the type of laboratory work used to examine these types of dendrimers in the fields of medicine and pharmacology, including their antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities. Transition Metal-containing Dendrimers in Biomedicine brings chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical science and medical fields together to design these future materials which will have global benefits.

Completely revised and updated, this 2nd Edition of Reactivity and Mechanism in Organic Chemistry is an ideal introduction to the quantitative description of organic reactivity for students in undergraduate and masters chemistry programmes. The book proceeds logically from qualitative molecular orbital theory as a tool for the description of bonding phenomena to combining this with thermochemical data to rationalise concepts such as molecular strain and hyperconjugation. Next, transition state theory, for examining organic reactivity phenomena, is introduced and its relation to energy surfaces and simple rate equations is discussed. On this basis more specific reactivity concepts commonly used in organic chemistry are explored such as the Bell–Evans–Polanyi principle, Marcus theory, HSAB principle, Hammett correlations, the Mayr–Patz equation, and FMO theory. How these reactivity models are applied is demonstrated for pericyclic reactions and selected rearrangement reactions involving transient intermediates such as radicals, diradicals, or carbocations, and for reactions involving classical electrophile/nucleophile combinations.

The Capsicum genus comprises the botanic species known as chili peppers, the most widely consumed natural product by humankind. Their usage is diverse and varies from food additives to defensive devices and medicines. Providing a comprehensive overview of the great popularization and socioeconomic importance of Capsicum, this book includes a holistic description of the properties of Capsicum and how this correlates with the chemical profile. Several of their specialized metabolites, such as capsaicinoids and carotenoids, are in fact responsible for peppers characterization as a functional food as they provide pungency, deterrent properties and outstanding biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and chemopreventive. This book shows the big picture behind peppers featuring as functional foods using a biochemistry background to elucidate how the chemical composition of this genus can affect its unique bioactivity and sensorial characteristics. In addition, the state-of-art regarding Capsicum exploitation is also emphasized. Intended for all types of audiences, it is a resource for those curious about peppers pungency, for graduate students aiming to improve their skills and professional who need to update their knowledge regarding peppers chemistry and pharmacology.

Non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, represent the cause of 60% of all deaths around the globe. With proper diet and natural dietary antioxidant supplements, these diseases can be prevented by up to 40% according to the British Nutrition Foundation. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on the health benefits of natural dietary antioxidant supplements. It presents state-of-the-art research and information as well as the global regulations, labelling, and health claims of natural dietary antioxidant supplements. Written by expert authors, the wealth of research is arranged by disease type rather than by supplement type making it much more useful to the reader. Filling a gap in the literature, the book is aimed at researchers and professionals working in food chemistry, nutrition, and health benefits.

How life originated from the inanimate mixture of organic and inorganic compounds on the priomordial earth remains one of the great unknowns in science. This origin of life, or abiogenesis, continues to be examined in the context of the conditions and materials required for natural life to have begun on Earth both theoretically and experimentally. This book provides a broad but in-depth analysis of the latest discoveries in prebiotic chemsitry from the microscopic to the macroscopic scale; utilising experimental insight to provide a bottom up approach to plausibly explaining how life arose. With contributions from global leaders, this book is an ideal reference for postgraduate students and a single source of comprehensive information on the latest technical and theoretical advancements for researchers in a variety of fields from astrochemistry and astrophysics to organic chemistry and evolution.

The physical properties associated with the saturated and trans fats obtained through partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils (PHVOs) provide the solid fat content, melting and textural properties that consumers require in food products like butter, margarines, vegetable creams, spreads, and confectionary fats. However, saturated and trans fats increase low density lipoprotein, while trans fats also lower high-density lipoprotein serum levels. These indicators increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, stroke, and have recently been associated with metabolic syndrome. Consequently, regulatory agencies worldwide have passed legislation restricting the addition of PHVOs and their derivatives (i.e., shortenings) to food products. This has lead research groups worldwide to investigate different mechanisms to provide structural and physical properties to edible, healthy unsaturated oils. The overall objective is to achieve similar functional properties to those provided by PHVOs and shortenings to food products. This book encompasses the work of leading researchers discussing, from a scientific and technological perspective, the latest and most innovative approaches to structure edible oils without the use of trans fats. Additionally, the authors discuss practical uses and technical limitations associated with the use of'structured edible oils'in different food systems. Appealing to researchers and professionals working in lipid science, food chemistry and fat metabolism, it fills the gap in the literature for a book in this fast-changing field.

The covalent conjugation of potent cytotoxic agents to monoclonal antibodies, known as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) is a powerful approach in the field of targeted treatment of cancer. Clearly, both monoclonal antibody and cytotoxic payload are crucial elements in determining the clinical value of an ADC and have receive ample attention. However, the structural element connecting the two –the chemical linker– also plays an essential role in mode-of-action, efficacy, pharmacokinetics and safety profile of an ADC, but is often underappreciated in considerations of ADC design.Chemical Linkers in Antibody–Drug Conjugates aims to shine a detailed light on the various key attributes of chemical linkers in ADCs, for drug-to-antibody ratio, for stability, for release mechanism of payload, for pharmacokinetics, for stability determination, and for efficacy and safety. Ideal for postgraduate students and active researchers in drug discovery and development, this book provides a comprehensive description of linkers used in ADCs (clinical and late preclinical), insight into key quality attributes of linkers for ADCs, and aids the reader in understanding the role of linker chemistry and designing new ADCs.

Elastomeric proteins are ubiquitous in nature, where they have evolved precise structures and properties that are necessary to perform specific biological roles and functions. This book emphasizes the impact of amino acid sequence on modulating protein structure, properties, and function. Examples include conformational ensemble dynamics, environmental responsiveness, self-assembly, physico-mechanical properties, morphology, and properties tailored for biomedical applications. This foundational framework is not only critical to advance scientific understanding and knowledge on elastomeric proteins but also enables the conceptualization, rational design, and development of biosynthetic elastomers and their analogous polypeptides for a variety of applications. Edited and contributed by pioneering researchers in the field, the book provides a timely overview of the materials, along with the synthesis techniques, the unique characteristics of elastomeric proteins, and biomedical and industrial applications. The book will provide a reference for graduate students and researchers interested in designing biomimetic proteins tailored for various functions.

Over the last decade, the use of ion mobility separation in combination with mass spectrometry analysis has developed significantly. This technique adds a unique extra dimension enabling the in-depth analysis of a wide range of complex samples in the areas of the chemical and biological sciences. Providing a comprehensive guide to the technique, each chapter is written by an internationally recognised expert and with numerous different commercial platforms to choose from, this book will help the end users understand the practicalities of using different instruments for different ion mobility purposes. The first section provides a detailed account of the fundamentals behind the technique and the current range of available instrumentation. The second section focusses on the wide range of applications that have benefitted from ion mobility – mass spectrometry and includes topics taken from current research in the pharmaceutical, metabolomics, glycomics, and structural molecular biology fields. The book is primarily aimed at researchers, appealing to practising chemists and biochemists, as well as those in the pharmaceutical and medical fields.

In many fields, most notably medicine and molecular biology, the understanding of the structure and function of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates remains vital. This new volume contains critical reviews covering the latest findings in both chemical and biological sciences, and demonstrates the interdisciplinary nature of modern carbohydrate research. This book addresses diverse applications that continue to be major challenges for carbohydrate chemists. The book starts with a review of Gérard Descotes contribution to the field as a pioneer of French modern carbohydrate chemistry. Green nanocatalytic oxidation of free sugars, photosensitive glycomacrocycles, the application of disaccharides in supramolecular chemistry, recent advances in the radiation chemistry of polysaccharides, and the cell wall pectic rhamnogalacturonan II, an enigma in plant glycobiology are just some of the diverse topics presented in Volume 45. This set of reports will certainly benefit any researcher who wishes to learn about the latest developments in the carbohydrate field.

The structure, function and reactions of nucleic acids are central to molecular biology and medicine and are crucial for understanding of the ever-expanding range of complex biological processes involved which are central to life. Revised, extended, updated and lavishly illustrated, this 4th Edition of Nucleic Acids in Chemistry and Biology is a long-awaited standard text for teaching and research in nucleic acids science. It maintains the close integration of chemistry and biology that characterised the earlier editions and contains a major expansion largely focused on the burgeoning growth of RNA science. Written by an international team of leading experts, all with extensive teaching experience, this 4th Edition provides up-to-date and extended coverage of the reactions and interactions of RNA and DNA with proteins and drugs. A brief history of the discovery of nucleic acids is followed by a molecule-based introduction to the structure and biological roles of DNA and RNA and the basics of Genes and Genomes. New key chapters are devoted to non-coding RNA, nucleic acids sequencing, nucleic acid therapeutics, in vitro evolution and aptamers, and protein-RNA interactions. The text is linked to an extensive list of references to make it a definitive reference source. This authoritative volume presents topics in an integrated manner and readable style with full colour illustrations throughout. It is ideal for graduate and undergraduate students of chemistry and biochemistry, biophysics and biotechnology, and molecular biology and medicine. It will be a guidebook for new researchers to the field of nucleic acids science.

Authored by leading experts in the enzymology of natural product biosynthesis, this completely revised and updated edition provides a description of the types of natural products, the biosynthetic pathways that enable the production of these molecules, and an update on the discovery of novel products in the post-genomic era. Although some 500 000 – 600 000 natural products have been isolated and characterized over the past two centuries, there may be a 10-fold greater inventory awaiting immediate exploration based on biosynthetic gene cluster predictions. The approach of this book is to codify the chemical logic that underlies each natural product structural class as they are assembled from building blocks of primary metabolism. This second edition integrates many new findings into the sets of principles of the first edition that parsed categories of natural product chemistries into the underlying enzymatic mechanisms and the catalytic machinery for building the varied and complex end product metabolites. New chapters include evaluation of a core set of thermodynamically activated but kinetically stable metabolites that power both primary and secondary metabolic pathways. Also, after decades of uncertainty about the existence of various pericyclase classes, a series of genome mining, heterologous expression, and enzymatic activity characterization have validated a plethora of pericyclases over the past decade. The several types of pericyclases are involved in biosynthetic complexity generation of almost every major category of natural products. This text will serve as a reference point for chemists of every subdiscipline, including synthetic organic chemists and medicinal chemists. It will also be valuable to bioinformatic and computational biologists, pharmacognocists and chemical ecologists, and bioengineers and synthetic biologists.

The importance of processing and packaging food items so that they are safe for the consumer cannot be underestimated. Sensors have an important role to play in this, and sensing technologies have attracted the attention of the scientific community in view of increasing environmental and societal concerns. This edited volume presents a collection of ten chapters discussing the current trends of bio- and nano-sensing technologies for processing and packaging of food items. Starting with an overview chapter which introduces the field, the book goes on to discuss novel applications related to preservation, authenticity and safety of foods. Intelligent food packaging and nano-based sensing are covered, and the book finishes with a look towards the pros and cons of how this will revolutionise sensing throughout the food sector. It will be of benefit to scientists and practising professionals conducting research in the areas of food processing, contamination and food safety, and academic researchers and graduate students studying food technology or food engineering.

The area of research on the health benefits of berries, their bioactive compounds and their related metabolites has exploded in the last 20 years resulting in new knowledge in the understanding of their metabolism, molecular mode of action as well as their clinical significance in promoting health and preventing chronic disease. Berries and Berry Bioactive Compounds in Promoting Health, reviews state-of-the-art research findings on this exponentially growing area. This comprehensive book brings together international experts in their corresponding fields with cutting-edge reviews. Exploring the effects and mechanisms of action of berry bioactive compounds and their metabolites on different body systems and chronic diseases, including their role on gut microbiota and eventual effect on health is the focus of this book. Unique topics covered, include the chemistry and analytical methods of detection of berry bioactive compounds, bioavailability, metabolism and factors that affect them including individual variability, their interaction with the gut microbiome, and their role and mechanism(s) of action on chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and obesity-induced inflammation, and cancer as well as neuroprotection and wound healing. It will be of benefit to scientists conducting research in the area of berries and their bioactive compounds on health and disease and for health care professionals, nutritionists, dietitians and clinical researchers, nutraceutical and natural food product developers (industry) and food regulators.

This book provides an interdisciplinary review of one of the great unsolved mysteries that has fascinated scientists for over 150 years: the origin of chirality in biomolecules. Current advances in fields as diverse as space exploration, prebiotic chemistry and high-energy physics may help to provide an answer. Important pieces of information will come from observations at the two frontiers of science: outer space and the subatomic world. Observation of distant planets, galaxies, and even actual sampling of celestial objects from beyond the solar system are projects currently underway. At the other end of the spectrum, there are experiments that study the elemental properties of matter, such as symmetry, and interactions with the fundamental forces. Completely revised and updated this new edition once again unifies all the theories of the origin of biomolecular homochirality together in a single source. This complete, interdisciplinary review of an intriguing subject condenses a large and disparate range of contributions from journals in almost every scientific field. The various theories have been organized, interrelated and explained in a unified way. It is fundamental, comprehensive and structured to be accessible for educational purposes.

Thousands of organisms fall under the umbrella of fungal species, many with unique properties; some innocuous, some useful and some harmful. This book covers the chemical composition and nutraceutical and pharmaceutical properties of edible fungi. It provides updates, future trends and perspectives on edible fungi, their nutritional properties, chemical features and different biological activities ascribed to them. Linking their functional use with different food products, it details the many health related properties of edible fungi. Phenolic acids, fatty acids, macromolecules, and different terpenes and steroids are presented as compounds with health improving properties. The book also discusses current technologies for mushroom cultivation and cultural use of mushrooms around the globe. Intended for food scientists and technologists, this book offers insights into current research and developments on edible fungi and will stimulate additional research in this area. It could also be considered as a supplementary text for courses such as applied or medical mycology.