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The field of metagenomics has revolutionized our comprehension of microbial diversity and function across various habitats, from the human body to terrestrial and aquatic environments. Simultaneously, advancements in AI have empowered researchers to analyze vast troves of genomic data with unprecedented speed and precision, facilitating new insights into the complex interplay between microorganisms and their surroundings.The subject matter in this book provides an overview of metagenomics and discusses the combination of metagenomics and AI and its significant consequences for advancements in science. The chapters examine the approaches, difficulties, and revolutionary uses of AI in metagenomics and provide insight into the convergence of genomics, metagenomics, and AI's potential to revolutionize diverse fields from healthcare to environmental.Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Bhutan)

This book focuses on cold habitat microbes as a potential source of elite enzymes and secondary metabolites to meet the growing demands of the pharmaceutical, food and biotechnological industries. Microbes living in such extremely cold conditions are reported to produce various biomolecules with potential biotechnological applications.The book overviews recent research trends to discover such important biomolecules and also suggests future research directions to discover such elite novel biomolecules. Salient features: Covers studies on various biotic communities and abiotic components of the soil of terrestrial habitats with a focus on cold habitats Discusses various'Omic'approaches: metagenomics and meta-transcriptomics Lists adaptation strategies adopted by cold-adapted microbes Highlights various biotechnological and industrially important biomolecules produced by cold-adapted microbes Explores the role of microbial biofilm in the degradation of microplastics in cold habitats

A complete overview of bioprinting, from fundamentals and essential topics to recent advances and future applications Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is one of the most transformative technological processes to emerge in recent decades. Its layer-by-layer construction method can create objects to remarkably precise specifications with minimal waste or energy consumption. Bioprinting, a related process that employs cells and biomaterials instead of man-made substances or industrial materials, has a range of biomedical and chemical uses that make it an exciting and fast-growing area of research. 3D Bioprinting from Lab to Industry offers a cutting-edge overview of this topic, its recent advances, and its future applications. Taking an interdisciplinary approach to a flourishing research field, this book exceeds all existing treatments of the subject in its scope and comprehensiveness. Moving from fundamental principles of the technology to its immense future potential, this is a must-own volume for scientists looking to incorporate this process into their research or product development. 3D Bioprinting from Lab to Industry readers will also find: Treatment of printing parameters, surface topography requirements, and much more Detailed discussion of topics including 5D printing in the medical field, dynamic tuning, the multi-material extrusion approach, and many others A complete account of the bioprinting process, from lab requirements to commercialization 3D Bioprinting from Lab to Industry is ideal for researchers—graduate and post-doctoral scholars—in the areas of materials science, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, biotechnology, and biochemistry.

Metalloproteins and Motor Proteins, Volume 141 focuses on recent advances in studying metalloproteins and motor proteins, along with their roles in different pathologies and drug-resistance. Chapters include Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Zinc-Mediated Virulence and Pathogenicity in Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, The Mechanistic Insights into Different Aspects of Promiscuity in Metalloenzymes, Role of Metal ion in ion channel Mechanisms, A model of microtubule depolymerization by kinesin-8 motor proteins, Metalloproteins and metalloproteomics in health and disease, Decoding Genetic and Pathophysiological Mechanisms in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Primary Lateral Sclerosis: A Comparative Study of Differentially Expressed Genes and Implicated Pathways in Motor Neuron Disorders, and much more.Additional chapters cover Exploring the effect of disease causing mutations in metal binding sites of human ARSA in Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, Role of transmembrane proteins in regulating metalloproteins and motor proteins in human cancer, Role of transmembrane proteins in metalloproteins and motor proteinsin human neurogenesis, Role of transmembrane proteins in metalloproteins and motor proteins in human aging, Vesicle transport of metalloproteinases, Motor proteins and spermatogenesis, and much more. - Integrates experimental and computational methods for studying structure and function of metalloproteins and motor proteins and their implication in drug design - Presents timely chapters written by well-renowned authorities in their field - Contains a high number of high quality illustrations, figures, and tables and targets a very wide audience of specialists, researchers, and students

Advances in plant genomics, plant molecular biology and genome editing have revolutionized opportunities for more efficient plant breeding. Successful application requires a concrete understanding of the concepts. Molecular Plant Breeding is an interface of issues from basic concepts to applications to crop improvement. The tools include molecular marker technology, gene mapping, genetic transformation, precise gene editing, and climate smart agriculture. This book provides a comprehensive coverage of molecular tools and methodologies that should be integrated within plant breeding programs for the improvement of crop plants. The book covers all relevant areas of molecular breeding in plants, with concepts and tools of relevance to plant genomics research and advanced molecular breeding. Chapters comprehensively review the contemporary literature on the subject and reflect the experiences of the authors. Each chapter emphasizes introduction covering related backgrounds and providesin-depth discussion of the subject supported with high-quality color illustrations and relevant data. Chapters conclude with future research perspective and, a comprehensive list of pertinent references.

Omics Approaches in Veterinary Parasitology: Diagnosis, Biomarkers, and Drug Development explores applications of omics approaches for diagnosis, biomarker discovery, and drug development against parasites of veterinary importance. It presents the fundamental principles of parasite biology and their complex physiological processes. The chapters review key aspects such as parasite life cycles, host-parasite interactions, and the molecular mechanisms that underlie parasitic diseases. The subsequent chapters delve into the principles and applications of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics in understanding parasites at a molecular level. The use of next-generation sequencing, PCR-based assays, and metagenomics in identifying and characterizing parasites for accurate and efficient diagnosis are also covered in detail. Toward the end, the book focuses on target identification, drug repurposing, and the optimization of drug efficacy while minimizing drug resistance using omics data. The book is useful for researchers, students, and professionals in the field of veterinary parasitology.

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Technology in DNA Analysis explains and summarizes next generation sequencing (NGS) technological applications in the field of forensic DNA analysis. The book covers the transition from capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based technique to NGS platforms and the fundamentals of NGS technologies, applications, and advances. Sections provide an overview of NGS technology and forensic science, including information on processing biological samples for forensic analysis, sequence analysis, and data analysis software as well as the analysis of NGS data. The book explores the valuable applications of NGS-based forensic DNA analysis and covers the validations and interpretation guidelines of NGS workflows. With chapter contributions from an international array of experts and the inclusion of practical case studies, this book is a useful reference for academicians and researchers in genetics, biotechnology, bioinformatics, biology, and medicine as well as forensic DNA scientists and practitioners who aim to learn, use, apply, and validate NGS-based technologies. - Describes the fundamentals of NGS and its advances for forensic applications - Explains the transition from CE-based technique to NGS technology - Includes case studies related to NGS and DNA fingerprinting - Explores the future use and applications of NGS technologies

This highly illustrated textbook provides an essential overview on RNA architecture and function, it offers insights into the RNA basics and also explains novel RNA technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas and their applications. In addition, the mRNA based vaccine technology, which has long been tested, also before the COVID-19 pandemic, is discussed and students receive a basic understanding of this important medical application.The textbook is written by Prof. Grover in collaboration with her students and has an easily accessible style. The book provides a great tool for young researchers and students in biology, biomedical engineering or biochemistry, looking for a compact introduction or refresher work on RNA, including the newest findings and technologies. It is an ideal starter to learn about several RNA specific topics and to research them further.

Cellular and Molecular Approaches in Fish Biology is a highly interdisciplinary resource to bring industry professionals, students and researchers up-to-date with the latest developments and information on fish biology research combining a historical overview of the different research areas in fish biology and detailed descriptions of cellular and molecular approaches with explanations and recommendations for research. The book presents a global perspective of each research area with detailed analytical methodologies on the cellular and molecular mechanisms within fish biology for expermentation. The book provides different points of view on how researchers have addressed timely issues, while describing and dissecting some of the new experimental/analytical approaches used to answer the key questions at cellular and molecular levels, making this a valuable resource to those in industry and academia as well as those entering the field. - Provides detailed descriptions of each research approach, highlighting the tricks of the trade for its effective and successful application - Includes the latest developments in fish reproduction, fish development and nutrition, fish welfare, fish immunology, ecology and biomedics - Presents hot topics of research such as genetics, transcriptomics and epigenetics

An argument that we have a moral duty to explore other planets and solar systems—because human life on Earth has an expiration date.Inevitably, life on Earth will come to an end, whether by climate disaster, cataclysmic war, or the death of the sun in a few billion years. To avoid extinction, we will have to find a new home planet, perhaps even a new solar system, to inhabit. In this provocative and fascinating book, Christopher Mason argues that we have a moral duty to do just that. As the only species aware that life on Earth has an expiration date, we have a responsibility to act as the shepherd of life-forms—not only for our species but for all species on which we depend and for those still to come (by accidental or designed evolution). Mason argues that the same capacity for ingenuity that has enabled us to build rockets and land on other planets can be applied to redesigning biology so that we can sustainably inhabit those planets. And he lays out a 500-year plan for undertaking the massively ambitious project of reengineering human genetics for life on other worlds. As they are today, our frail human bodies could never survive travel to another habitable planet. Mason describes the toll that long-term space travel took on astronaut Scott Kelly, who returned from a year on the International Space Station with changes to his blood, bones, and genes. Mason proposes a ten-phase, 500-year program that would engineer the genome so that humans can tolerate the extreme environments of outer space—with the ultimate goal of achieving human settlement of new solar systems. He lays out a roadmap of which solar systems to visit first, and merges biotechnology, philosophy, and genetics to offer an unparalleled vision of the universe to come.

The book emphasizes role of functional microbes in soil to improve fertility and plant health in agro-ecosystem. In this compendium main emphasis is on occurrence and distribution of microbial communities, In situ active microbial quorum in rhizosphere, metratranscriptomics for microflora- and fauna, and fnctional diversity in rhizosphere. The book also highlights the importance of PGPRs in rhizosphere, root endotrophic microbes, functional niche under biotic stress, functional niche under abiotic stress, functional root derived signals, as well as functional microbe derived signals. Approaches deployed in metatranscriptomics, and molecular Tools used in rhizosphere are also discussed in detail. The book presents content is useful for students, academicians, researchers working on soil rhizosphere and as a policy document on sustenance of agriculture.

Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) is the most prevalent vector-borne illness in the United States and Europe and a growing threat to global health. In addition Lyme disease is considered a model system of emerging infectious diseases. The book Borrelia: Molecular Biology, Host Interaction and Pathogenesis published in 2010 was the first state-of-the-art reference work covering the myriad, interlaced facets of the enzootic disorders caused by pathogenic Borrelia. This current volume, by the same editors, builds on the previous work and contains a vast amount of new information, a wider scope, and increased coverage of genomics, genetics, evolutionary biology, vector biology, physiology, pathogenicity, immune response, and immune evasion. Written by renowned scientists who have made seminal contributions to the field, this book contains an expansive treatment of the options to track live spirochetes and evaluate gene expression in ticks and mice, provides insights into the workings of the flagellar motor, presents up-to-date research on the modulation of gene expression, and reviews recent studies on the Lyme disease spirochete's networks of regulatory pathways. The volume highlights and describes in detail the tremendous advances in understanding of the Borrelia genus at the molecular and cellular levels as well as the pathogenesis of Lyme disease and relapsing fever. This comprehensive volume is indispensable for anyone involved in Borrelia and Lyme disease research and is highly recommended for microbiologists, immunologists, and physicians with an interest in spirochetes, vector-borne illness, or emerging infectious diseases. The book is a recommended reference volume for all microbiology libraries.

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. This latest volume includes reviews on plant physiology, biochemistry, genetics and genomics, forests, and ecosystems.

This book focuses on quinoa, providing background information on its history, summarizing recent genetic and genomic advances, and offering directions for future research. Meeting the caloric and nutritional demands of our growing population will not only require increases in overall food production, but also the development of new crops that can be grown sustainably in agricultural environments that are increasingly susceptible to degradation. Quinoa is an ancient crop native to the Andean region of South America that has recently gained international attention because its seeds are high in protein, particularly in essential amino acids. Quinoa is also highly tolerant of abiotic stresses, including drought, frost and salinity. For these reasons, quinoa has the potential to help address issues of food security – a potential that was recognized when the United Nations declared 2013 the International Year of Quinoa. However, more effort is needed to improve quinoa agronomically and to understand the mechanisms of its abiotic stress tolerance; the recent development of genetic and genomic tools, including a reference genome sequence, will now help accelerate research in these areas.

This 12 volume encyclopedia contains 160 chapters covering a broad range of topics related to marine biology.

Millets and Pseudo Cereals is the first comprehensive resource to focus on the potential crop improvements through genetic enhancements. The choice of food crop for a region is primarily determined by the conditions of climate and soil. Once labelled as orphan crops, millets and pseudo-cereals are now known as miracle grains due to their adaptation to harsh conditions and high nutritional quality. Small millets and pseudo-cereals are now seen to occupy special niches through their ability to adapt to challenging conditions. These crops have a comparative advantage in marginal lands where they withstand stress conditions and contribute to sustainable production. They also contribute to the diversity-richness and production stability of agro-ecosystems. Millets include sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, foxtail millet, proso millet, barnyard millet, little millet and kodo millet while the other group which are not cereals but consumed as cereals and generally referred as pseudo-cereals comprises of grain amaranths, buckwheat and chenopods. Millets and Pseudo Cereals presents current information on the genetic architecture of important economic traits and the genomic resources for gene enabled breeding. This compilation contains information on the global status, available germplasm resources, nutritional value, breeding advancements, genomics applications and sustainability of agriculture through millets and pseudo-cereals cultivation. This book is a valuable resource for those conducting research and exploring new areas for advancing crop genetic understanding. - Explores the current challenges of pseudo-cereal production and how that can be overcome by developing genetic and breeding resources using appropriate germplasm - Provides holistic information on millets and pseudo-cereals - Features global perspectives from an international contributing team of authors

Technological advances in generated molecular and cell biological data are transforming biomedical research. Sequencing, multi-omics and imaging technologies are likely to have deep impact on the future of medical practice. In parallel to technological developments, methodologies to gather, integrate, visualize and analyze heterogeneous and large-scale data sets are needed to develop new approaches for diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. Systems Medicine: Integrative, Qualitative and Computational Approaches is an innovative, interdisciplinary and integrative approach that extends the concept of systems biology and the unprecedented insights that computational methods and mathematical modeling offer of the interactions and network behavior of complex biological systems, to novel clinically relevant applications for the design of more successful prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. This 3 volume work features 132 entries from renowned experts in the fields and covers the tools, methods, algorithms and data analysis workflows used for integrating and analyzing multi-dimensional data routinely generated in clinical settings with the aim of providing medical practitioners with robust clinical decision support systems. Importantly the work delves into the applications of systems medicine in areas such as tumor systems biology, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases as well as immunology and infectious diseases amongst others. This is a fundamental resource for biomedical students and researchers as well as medical practitioners who need to need to adopt advances in computational tools and methods into the clinical practice. - Encyclopedic coverage:'one-stop'resource for access to information written by world-leading scholars in the field of Systems Biology and Systems Medicine, with easy cross-referencing of related articles to promote understanding and further research - Authoritative: the whole work is authored and edited by recognized experts in the field, with a range of different expertise, ensuring a high quality standard - Digitally innovative: Hyperlinked references and further readings, cross-references and diagrams/images will allow readers to easily navigate a wealth of information

Introduces readers to the chemical biology of plant biostimulants This book brings together different aspects of biostimulants, providing an overview of the variety of materials exploited as biostimulants, their biological activity, and agricultural applications. As different groups of biostimulants display different bioactivity and specificity, advances in biostimulant research is illustrated by different examples of biostimulants, such as humic substance, seaweed extracts, and substances with hormone-like activities. The book also reports on methods used to screen for new biostimulant compounds by exploring natural sources. Combining the expertise of internationally-renowned scientists and entrepreneurs in the area of biostimulants and biofertilisers, The Chemical Biology of Plant Biostimulants offers in-depth chapters that look at: agricultural functions and action mechanisms of plant biostimulants (PBs); plant biostimulants from seaweed; seaweed carbohydrates; and the possible role for electron shuttling capacity in elicitation of PB activity of humic substances on plant growth enhancement. The subject of auxins is covered next, followed closely by a chapter on plant biostimulants in vermicomposts. Other topics include: exploring natural resources for biostimulants; the impact of biostimulants on whole plant and cellular levels; the impact of PBs on molecular level; and the use of use of plant metabolites to mitigate stress effects in crops. Provides an insightful introduction to the subject of biostimulants Discusses biostimulant modes of actions Covers microbial biostimulatory activities and biostimulant application strategies Offers unique and varied perspectives on the subject by a team of international contributors Features summaries of publications on biostimulants and biostimulant activity The Chemical Biology of Plant Biostimulants will appeal to a wide range of readers, including scientists and agricultural practitioners looking for more knowledge about the development and application of biostimulants.

This book on lupin genomics primarily focuses on the narrow-leafed lupin (NLL), and details the genomic resources that have been developed and how they are currently being used to help advance both fundamental and applied research on NLL in areas ranging from its domestication to plant–microbe interactions and syntenic relationships between NLL and other legume crops. It also reports on genomic efforts being pursued with regard to other lupin crops.Lupins are important ecological ‘engineers': they can colonise and thrive in low-nutrient soils due to their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen in symbiosis with bacteria and efficiently take up phosphorous. Recently, lupins have attracted considerable interest, not only because of their value for sustainable farming as a break crop, but also as a potential ‘super food'for fighting major health issues in connection with diabetes and obesity.Narrow-leafed lupin is the main grain legume crop, grown primarily in Australia, and was therefore selected for the development of a reference lupin genome and associated genomic resources. Its genome has recently been sequenced with a focus on the gene-rich space, which has advanced the development of new breeding tools for the improvement of NLL and related lupin crops.

The quality of agricultural soils are always under threat from chemical contaminants, which ultimately affect the productivity and safety of crops. Besides agrochemicals, a new generation of substances invades the soil through irrigation with reclaimed wastewater and pollutants of organic origin such as sewage sludge or cattle manure. Emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials and microplastics are now present in agricultural soils, but the understanding of their impact on soil quality is still limited. With focus on in situ bioremediation, this book provides an exhaustive analysis of the current biological methodologies for recovering polluted agricultural soils as well as monitoring the effectiveness of bioremediation.

This two-volume book presents the outcomes of the 8th International Conference on Soft Computing for Problem Solving, SocProS 2018. This conference was a joint technical collaboration between the Soft Computing Research Society, Liverpool Hope University (UK), and Vellore Institute of Technology (India), and brought together researchers, engineers and practitioners to discuss thought-provoking developments and challenges in order to select potential future directions. The book highlights the latest advances and innovations in the interdisciplinary areas of soft computing, including original research papers on algorithms (artificial immune systems, artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms, genetic programming, and particle swarm optimization) and applications (control systems, data mining and clustering, finance, weather forecasting, game theory, business and forecasting applications). It offers a valuable resource for both young and experienced researchers dealing with complex and intricate real-world problems that are difficult to solve using traditional methods.

Exosomes: A Clinical Compendium is a comprehensive and authoritative account of exosomesin the context of biomarkers, diagnostics, and therapeutics across a wide spectrum of medicaldisciplines, as well as their role in cell-cell communication. It is intended to serve as a referencesource for clinicians, physicians, and research scientists who wish to gain insight into the mostrecent advances in this rapidly growing field. The exosome revolution may well be the greatest advance in physiology and medicine sinceantibiotics. The discovery of their epigenetic role in intercellular signaling in virtually all tissues is amajor breakthrough in our understanding of how cells function. - Provides readers with a broad and timely overview of exosomes in health and disease, closingwith a thought-provoking chapter on transgenerational inheritance, Darwin and Lamarck. - Summarizes the most recent laboratory and clinical findings on exosomes across numerousmedical disciplines, thereby offering readers a broad-ranging and solid foundation for prospectiveinvestigative efforts - Twenty-one chapters authored by a global team of peer-acknowledged experts, each representinga key medical disciplineProvides readers with a broad and timely overview of exosomes in health and disease, closing

Genomic sequencing technologies have augmented the classification of cancer beyond tissue of origin and towards a molecular taxonomy of cancer. This has created opportunities to guide treatment decisions for individual patients with cancer based on their cancer's unique molecular characteristics, also known as precision cancer medicine. The purpose of this text will be to describe the contribution and need for multiple disciplines working together to deliver precision cancer medicine. This entails a multi-disciplinary approach across fields including molecular pathology, computational biology, clinical oncology, cancer biology, drug development, genetics, immunology, and bioethics. Thus, we have outlined a current text on each of these fields as they work together to overcome various challenges and create opportunities to deliver precision cancer medicine. As trainees and junior faculty enter their respective fields, this text will provide a framework for understanding the role andresponsibility for each specialist to contribute to this team science approach.

Computational Epigenetics and Diseases, written by leading scientists in this evolving field, provides a comprehensive and cutting-edge knowledge of computational epigenetics in human diseases. In particular, the major computational tools, databases, and strategies for computational epigenetics analysis, for example, DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNA, noncoding RNA, and ceRNA, are summarized, in the context of human diseases. This book discusses bioinformatics methods for epigenetic analysis specifically applied to human conditions such as aging, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, liver and autoimmune disorders, and reproductive and respiratory diseases. Additionally, different organ cancers, such as breast, lung, and colon, are discussed. This book is a valuable source for graduate students and researchers in genetics and bioinformatics, and several biomedical field members interested in applying computational epigenetics in their research. - Provides a comprehensive and cutting-edge knowledge of computational epigenetics in human diseases - Summarizes the major computational tools, databases, and strategies for computational epigenetics analysis, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNA, noncoding RNA, and ceRNA - Covers the major milestones and future directions of computational epigenetics in various kinds of human diseases such as aging, atherosclerosis, diabetes, heart disease, neurological disorders, cancers, blood disorders, liver diseases, reproductive diseases, respiratory diseases, autoimmune diseases, human imprinting disorders, and infectious diseases

This book includes papers presented at the 2017 Joint meeting of Fodder Crops and Amenity Grasses Section and Protein Crops Working Group of EUCARPIA-Oil and Protein Crops Section. The theme of the meeting “Breeding Grasses and Protein Crops in the Era of Genomics” has been divided into six parts: (1) Utilisation of genetic resources and pre-breeding, (2) Genetic improvement of quality and agronomic traits, (3) Breeding for enhanced stress tolerance (4) Implementation of phenomics and biometrics, (5) Development of genomic tools and bioinformatics and (6) Reports of Parallel Sessions.

This book presents a comprehensive collection of articles illustrating the importance of microbial community structure and function for ecosystem sustainability and environmental reclamation. It addresses a diverse range of topics, including microbial diversity, physiology, genomics, ecosystem function, interaction, metabolism, and the fruitful use of microbial communities for crop productivity and environmental remediation. In addition, the book explores issues ranging from general concepts on the diversity of microorganisms in soil, and ecosystem function to the evolution and taxonomy of soil microbiota, with future prospects. It covers cutting-edge methods in soil microbial ecological studies, rhizosphere microflora, the role of organic matter in plant productivity, biological nitrogen fixation and its genetics, microbial transformation of plant nutrients in soil, plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria, and organic matter transformation. The book also discusses the application of microbes in biodegradation of xenobiotic contaminants. It covers bio-fertilizers and their role in sustainable agriculture and soil health, biological control of insect pests and plant pathogens, and the latest tools of omics in soil microbiology, i.e. genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics, which offer pioneering approaches to the exploration of microbial structure and function.

Ornamental plants are economically important worldwide. Both growers and consumers ask continuously for new, improved varieties. Although there are numerous ornamental species, ornamental plant breeding and plant breeding research is mainly limited to some major species. This book focuses on the recent advances and achievements in ornamental plant breeding. The first part of the book focuses on plant traits and breeding techniques that are typical for ornamental plants. Eminent research groups write these general chapters. For plant traits like flower colour or shape, breeding for disease resistance and vase or shelf life are reviewed. General technical plant breeding chapters deal with mutation breeding, polyploidisation, in vitro breeding techniques and new developments in molecular techniques. The second part of the book consists of crop-specific chapters. Here all economically major ornamental species are handled together with selected representative species from different plant groups (cut flowers, pot plants, woody ornamental plants). In these crop-specific chapters, the main focus is on recent scientific achievements over the last decade.

This book is a compendium of current information on all aspects of these economically important parasites. It provides comprehensive coverage of their biology, management, morphology and diagnostics, in addition to up-to-date information on molecular aspects of taxonomy, host-parasitic relationships and resistance. Written by a team of international experts, Cyst Nematodes will be invaluable to all researchers, lecturers and students in nematology, parasitology, agriculture and agronomy, industries with an interest in chemical and biological control products for management of plant-parasitic nematodes, and any courses, quarantine and advisory services.

Oxidants, Antioxidants and Impact of the Oxidative Status in Male Reproduction is an essential reference for fertility practitioners and research and laboratory professionals interested in learning about the role of reactive oxygen species in sperm physiology and pathology. The book focuses on unravelling the pathophysiology of oxidative stress mediated male infertility, recruiting top researchers and clinicians to contribute chapters. This collection of expertise delves into the physico-chemical aspects of oxidative stress, including a new focus on reductive stress. Furthermore, the inclusion of clinical techniques to determine oxidative stress and the OMICS of reductive oxidative stress are also included. This is a must-have reference in the area of oxidative stress and male reproductive function. - Offers comprehensive information on oxidative stress and its role in male reproduction, including new therapeutic approaches - Deals with current approaches to oxidative stress using OMICS platform - Designed for fertility practitioners, reproductive researchers, and laboratory professionals interested in learning about the role of reactive oxygen species in sperm physiology and pathology

Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals are increasingly confronted with questions about the genetics of psychiatric illness, and the clinical applications of new genetic findings. Psychiatric Genetics: A Primer for Clinical and Basic Scientists addresses these questions through a straightforward introduction to the essentials of psychiatric genetics, complementing more comprehensive textbooks that may seem overwhelming for those new to the field. Written and edited by leaders in the field and the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics (ISPG), the book covers basic epidemiology, recruitment for human studies, phenotyping strategies, formal genetic and molecular genetic studies, statistical genetics, bioinformatics and genomics, pharmacogenetics, the most relevant animal models, and biobanking. Each chapter begins with a list of'take home'points that summarizes content, followed by a brief overview of current knowledge and suggestions for further reading. This Primer is ideal for medical students, psychiatric residents, psychiatrists, and basic neuroscience researchers who are interested in learning about the key concepts and recent advances in the exciting field of psychiatric genetics.

The Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing (PSB) 2018 is an international, multidisciplinary conference for the presentation and discussion of current research in the theory and application of computational methods in problems of biological significance. Presentations are rigorously peer reviewed and are published in an archival proceedings volume. PSB 2018 will be held on January 3 - 7, 2018 in Kohala Coast, Hawaii.PSB 2018 will bring together top researchers from the US, the Asian Pacific nations, and around the world to exchange research results and address open issues in all aspects of computational biology. It is a forum for the presentation of work in databases, algorithms, interfaces, visualization, modeling, and other computational methods, as applied to biological problems, with emphasis on applications in data-rich areas of molecular biology.The PSB has been designed to be responsive to the need for critical mass in sub-disciplines within biocomputing. For that reason, it is the only meeting whose sessions are defined dynamically each year in response to specific proposals. PSB sessions are organized by leaders of research in biocomputing's'hot topics.'In this way, the meeting provides an early forum for serious examination of emerging methods and approaches in this rapidly changing field.

In the years following publication of the DSM-5®, the field of psychiatry has seen vigorous debate between the DSM's more traditional, diagnosis-oriented approach and the NIMH's more biological, dimension-based RDoC (research domain criteria) approach. Charney & Nestler's Neurobiology of Mental Illness is an authoritative foundation for translating information from the laboratory to clinical treatment, and its fifth edition extends beyond this reference function to acknowledge and examine the controversies, different camps, and thoughts on the future of psychiatric diagnosis. In this wider context, this book provides information from numerous levels of analysis, including molecular biology and genetics, cellular physiology, neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology, epidemiology, and behavior. Sections and chapters are edited and authored by experts at the top of their fields. No other book distills the basic science and underpinnings of mental disorders-and highlights practical clinical significance-to the scope and breadth of this classic text. In this edition, Section 1, which reviews the methods used to examine the biological basis of mental illness in animal and cell models and in humans, has been expanded to reflect critically important technical advances in complex genetics (including powerful sequencing technologies and related bioinformatics), epigenetics, stem cell biology, optogenetics, neural circuit functioning, cognitive neuroscience, and brain imaging. This range of established and emerging methodologies offer groundbreaking advances in our ability to study the brain as well as unique opportunities for the translation of preclinical and clinical research into badly needed breakthroughs in our therapeutic toolkit. Sections 2 through 7 cover the neurobiology and genetics of major psychiatric disorders: psychoses (including bipolar disorder), mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, dementias, and disorders of childhood onset. Also covered within these sections is a summary of current therapeutic approaches for these illnesses as well as the ways in which research advances are now guiding the search for new treatments. Each of these parts has been augmented in several different areas as a reflection of research progress. The last section, Section 8, reconfigured in this new edition, now focuses on diagnostic schemes for mental illness. This includes an overview of the unique challenges that remain in diagnosing these disorders given our still limited knowledge of disease etiology and pathophysiology. The section then provides reviews of DSM-5®, which forms the basis of psychiatric diagnosis in the United States for all clinical work, and of RDoC, which provides an alternative perspective on diagnosis in heavy use in the research community. Also included are chapters on future efforts toward precision and computational psychiatry, which promise to someday align diagnosis with underlying biological abnormalities.

This is the first book to present consolidated, up-to-date information regarding recent trends and future perspectives of polyploidy – a phenomenon that has played a pivotal role in the evolution of domesticated plants and a research area that has been given new impetus thanks to advances in plant biology techniques integrated with bioinformatics tools. The book emphasizes the tremendous potential of polyploidy in plant breeding to improve existing crops and develop new ones to cater for the needs of an ever-increasing human population. It is divided into 8 chapters, each including an introduction and references, and complemented with plentiful illustrations, figures and tables. The chapters cover all facets of polyploidy, from its origin, occurrence, recent polyploidization, formation pathways, artificial induction, criteria for detection, and its significance in the contexts of genomic changes and the changing environment, as well as future perspectives. The book discusses at lengththe aspects of polyploidy that need to be understood for a thorough comprehension of this biologically important subject. It also highlights the recent techniques involved in polyploidy research. Further, it provides a detailed account, with suitable examples, of the different genetic and epigenetic changes that occur in polyploids to help their survival. A timely publication, it serves as an excellent single-source textbook. It is a valuable resource for students, research scholars and teachers of biological sciences in particular, and to plant breeders, cytologists, geneticists, and molecular biologists in general.

This book is designed to present a comprehensive and state-of the-art approach to the management of adrenal neoplasms that provides a resource to the broad group of providers that will encounter such a patient. Sections address issues that are faced by providers who encounter a patient with an adrenal neoplasm. These areas include an overview of the genetic basis and familial cancer syndrome-associated with adrenal neoplasms, pathobiology, advanced and tumor specific imaging approaches and technologies, biochemical analysis, standard medical and surgical therapies, and emerging technology and treatment approaches to benign and malignant adrenal neoplasms. Written by experts in the field, each of these sections address level of clinical evidence and provide recommendations and treatment algorithms. Extensive illustrations make this an interactive text.Management of Adrenal Masses in Children and Adults will serve as a very useful resource for all providers dealing with, and interested in this common but challenging tumor. It will provide a concise yet comprehensive summary of the current status of the field that will help guide patient management and stimulate investigative efforts.

Despite extensive research and medical advancements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dreaded diseases like Diabetes, Cancer, Neurodegenerative and Heart diseases, continue to impose a great threat to human life. Research in human developmental biology has led to the discovery of stem cells which has the potential to cure wide range of dreaded diseases. Stem cells are the unicellular equivalent to the entire animal. In optimum culture milieu they can be differentiated into all cell types of an adult animal. The capability of potency and the relative ease to isolate and expand these cells are invaluable properties for regenerative medicine. Stem cells hold tremendous promise to unravel the key developmental pathways involved in organogenesis and may serve as an essential tissue source for regenerative therapy. Stem cell biology is a fast growing field that is providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms that control developmental processes. At the same time, stem cells may have potential uses in the treatment of devastating diseases such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, musculoskeletal disease, diabetes and cancer. The enormous clinical potential of cardiac regeneration has generated great expectations in both clinicians and patients. Regenerative medicine in the field of skin, cartilage, bone, adipose tissue, and cornea is already well established and is used clinically. Stem cell research harbours potential to have a significant impact on human health. The book will help to increase the awareness vis-à-vis stem cell research in developing countries in particular India. The book pronounces the ways which may help us to extract maximum benefits from state of the art technology. The thrust areas of the proposed book are induced pluripotent stem cells, cord blood stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, livestock stem cells, amniotic fluid stem cells, role of epigenetics in stem cells, tissue engineering, cancer stem cells, bioinformatics strategies for stem cell research, Protocols for iPS generation and so on. These areas have been identified keeping in mind the current and future alighted issues that have a direct impact on the health sector of the world in general.

Copepods, or more commonly referred to as the “insects of the sea”, have successfully colonised every aquatic environment, equating insects in terms of absolute and relative success. They represent up to 90-97% of the marine zooplankton biomass, but may also be conspicuous in freshwater systems. Copepods are the linchpin of aquatic foodwebs; they prey upon phytoplankton while simultaneously acting as a staple food for higher trophic level organisms, contribute to the vertical fluxes of carbon and sustain recycled production through the excretion of ammonia. Copepods can also signal possible climate change and are indicators of the effects of ocean acidification. They are also used as model animals for ecotoxicological and molecular studies, and might be adopted as control agents of disease vectors. Current studies are rapidly exploring multiple lines of research with an intended purpose to provide an up-to-date snapshot of some hot topics in the study of the distribution, biology and ecology of these ubiquitous crustaceans. The chapters collected in this volume, written by leading scientists in different fields of investigation, focus on a wide range of processes and scales, from global distribution to molecular investigations, witnessing the interest of the scientific community at different levels. These contributions point out the latest developments and case studies on a number of research issues, and will promote discussion and stimulate advances in each field of investigation. The editor is confident that readers will appreciate the contents of each chapter and will find in them inspiring suggestions for their research, or even just to satisfy their curiosity.

The Evolution of the Immune System: Conservation and Diversification is the first book of its kind that prompts a new perspective when describing and considering the evolution of the immune system. Its unique approach summarizes, updates, and provides new insights on the different immune receptors, soluble factors, and immune cell effectors. - Helps the reader gain a modern idea of the evolution of the immune systems in pluricellular organisms - Provides a complete overview of the most studied and hot topics in comparative and evolutionary immunology - Reflects the organisation of the immune system (cell-based, humoral [innate], humoral [adaptive]) without introducing further and misleading levels of organization - Brings concepts and ideas on the evolution of the immune system to a wide readership

Frontiers in Drug Design and Discovery is an eBook series devoted to publishing the latest and the most important advances in drug design and discovery. Eminent scientists have contributed chapters focused on all areas of rational drug design and drug discovery including medicinal chemistry, in-silico drug design, combinatorial chemistry, high-throughput screening, drug targets, and structure-activity relationships. This eBook series should prove to be of interest to all pharmaceutical scientists who are involved in research in drug design and discovery and who wish to keep abreast of rapid and important developments in the field.The seventh volume of this series brings together seven reviews covering chemotherapeutic agents, antimicrobials and phytochemicals.Some topics included in this volume are:1. Metabolic pathways and chemotherapy drugs2. Cardiotoxicity of cancer chemotherapy3. Nanotherapeutics for infectious diseases4. Natural sources of angiogenesis inhibitors…and much more.

This book provides insights into the current state of sorghum genomics. It particularly focuses on the tools and strategies employed in genome sequencing and analysis, public and private genomic resources and how all this information is leading to direct outcomes for plant breeders. The advent of affordable whole genome sequencing in combination with existing cereal functional genomics data has enabled the leveraging of the significant novel diversity available in sorghum, the genome of which was fully sequenced in 2009, providing an unmatched resource for the genetic improvement of sorghum and other grass species. Cultivated grain sorghum is a food and feed cereal crop adapted to hot and dry climates, and is a staple for 500 million of the world's poorest people. Globally, sorghum is also an important source of animal feed and forage, an emerging biofuel crop and model for C4 grasses, particularly genetically complex sugarcane.

The 4th International Conference on Selenium in the Environment and Human Health was held 18-21 October 2015 in S�Paulo, Brazil. This conference provided an effective scientific communication platform for researchers in different disciplines worldwide to elucidate and better understand those complex roles of Se as both essential nutrient and enviro

En este libro el lector encontrará una guía de la construcción y posterior uso de un entorno de trabajo bioinformático para el procesamiento RNA-Seq. El libro está dividido en cuatro capítulos: el primero proporciona las instrucciones para la instalación del sistema operativo, los paquetes y las librerías necesarias; el segundo contempla tanto la instalación como el uso de todas las herramientas bioinformáticas que harán parte del entorno. El tercero da un ejemplo de la ejecución de estas herramientas sobre datos de pruebas reales; finalmente, el cuarto da al lector las nociones básicas sobre los formatos de archivos necesarios para la ejecución de las herramientas.

This book provides an introduction to the genetics, genomics, and breeding of the olive tree, a multi-functional long-lived crop plant that is relevant not only for culinary olive and oil production, but also for shaping the landscape and history of many rural areas for centuries. Today, the recognized health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil provide new impulses for introducing innovation in olive crop management and olive breeding for a deeper understanding of the biological processes underlying fruit quality, adaptation to crop environment and response to threatening epidemics due to biological agents such as Xylella fastidiosa.The individual chapters discuss genetic resources; classic and modern breeding methods for providing new olive cultivars; the genotype x environment interactions determining the response to biotic and abiotic stresses; fruit metabolism related to oil production and the synthesisof health beneficial molecules; the mapping of genes and quantitative trait locus; and genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic strategies pertinent to the development of a molecular platform and template amenable to precise and rapid genetic modifications using recently developed genome editing tools.

Medicinal Plants: Chemistry, Biology and Omics reviews the phytochemistry, chemotaxonomy, molecular biology, and phylogeny of selected medicinal plant tribes and genera, and their relevance to drug efficacy. Medicinal plants provide a myriad of pharmaceutically active components, which have been commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine and worldwide for thousands of years. Increasing interest in plant-based medicinal resources has led to additional discoveries of many novel compounds, in various angiosperm and gymnosperm species, and investigations on their chemotaxonomy, molecular phylogeny and pharmacology. Chapters in this book explore the interrelationship within traditional Chinese medicinal plant groups and between Chinese species and species outside of China. Chapters also discuss the incongruence between chemotaxonomy and molecular phylogeny, concluding with chapters on systems biology and'-omics technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics), and how they will play an increasingly important role in future pharmaceutical research. - Reviews best practice and essential developments in medicinal plant chemistry and biology - Discusses the principles and applications of various techniques used to discover medicinal compounds - Explores the analysis and classification of novel plant-based medicinal compounds - Includes case studies on pharmaphylogeny - Compares and integrates traditional knowledge and current perception of worldwide medicinal plants

Increased world population, decreased water supply, and climate change all put stresses on the global food supply. An exploration of the challenges and possible solutions to improve yields of the main crops, such as cereals, roots, tubers, and grasses, Omics Technologies and Crop Improvement reviews data on food sciences and omics. The book covers

This volume explores the various functions and potential applications of mycorrhizas, including topics such as the dynamics of root colonization, soil carbon sequestration and the function of mycorrhizas in extreme environments. Some contributions focus on the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in various crop production processes, including soil management practices, their use as biofertilizers and in relation to medicinal plants. Other chapters elucidate the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the alleviation of plant water stress and of heavy metal toxicity, in the remediation of saline soils, in mining-site rehabilitation and in the reforestation of degraded tropical forests. In addition to their impact in ecosystems, the economic benefits of applying arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are discussed. A final chapter describes recent advances in the cultivation of edible mycorrhizal mushrooms.

This book describes how genomics has revolutionized our understanding of agriculturally important plant-associated fungi. It illustrates some fundamental discoveries about these eukaryotic microbes with regard to the overall structure of their genomes, their lifestyles and the molecular mechanisms that form the basis of their interactions with plants. Genomics has provided new insights into fungal lifestyles and led to practical advances in plant breeding and crop protection, such as predictions about the spread and evolution of new pathogens.This volume focuses on fungi that are important cereal and other monocot plant pathogens and includes: Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, Cochliobolus sp., Colletotrichum sp., Fusarium graminearum, Mycosphaerella graminicola and Mycosphaerella fijiensis, Magnaporthe oryzae, Blumeria graminis and Puccinia graminis.

Genomic Biomarkers for Pharmaceutical Development: Advancing Personalized Health Care provides an in-depth review of the state of translational science across all stages of pharmaceutical development with a special focus on personalized health care. This book provides a complete picture of biomarker development and validation in a pharmaceutical setting while addressing the inherent challenges of targeting the appropriate indications, biomarker robustness, regulatory hurdles, commercialization and much more. It features case studies devoted to the applications of pharmacogenomics, toxicogenomics, and other genetic technologies as they support drug discovery and development. With chapters written by international authorities in industry and academia, this work is a truly unique presentation of the thoughts and approaches that lead to the development of personalized medicine. Intended for all those involved in clinical translational research, this book is the ideal resource for scientists searching for the applications, strategies and successful approaches of translational science in pharmaceutical development. - Provides case studies in applications of pharmacodynamic and predictive markers in drug development in oncology, autoimmunity, respiratory diseases and infectious diseases - Shows how to identify potential new therapeutic targets in different diseases and provides examples of potential new disease indications for life cycle management of drugs - Authored by leading international experts from industry and academia

Chapter 1 - Epigenetics Chapter 2 - Transgenerational Epigenetics Chapter 3 - Genomic Imprinting Chapter 4 - Methylated DNA Immunoprecipitation Chapter 5 - Bisulfite Sequencing Chapter 6 - DNA Methylation Chapter 7 - Nutriepigenomics Chapter 8 - Paramutation and Sex-Determination System Chapter 9 - Soft Inheritance, Structural Inheritance and Testis Determining Factor Chapter 10 - X-Inactivation Chapter 11 - Sex Determination and Differentiation (Human) Chapter 12 - Histone Chapter 13 - XY Sex-Determination System Chapter 14 - Haplodiploid Sex-Determination System and Temperature- Dependent Sex Determination

Chapter 1 - Environmental TechnologyChapter 2 - BiofilterChapter 3 - BioremediationChapter 4 - DesalinationChapter 5 - Thermal DepolymerizationChapter 6 - RecyclingChapter 7 - Water PurificationChapter 8 - Waste ManagementChapter 9 - Waste MinimisationChapter 10 - ReuseChapter 11 - Anaerobic DigestionChapter 12 - Waste-to-Energy

Polyploidy – whole-genome duplication (WGD) – is a fundamental driver of biodiversity with significant consequences for genome structure, organization, and evolution. Once considered a speciation process common only in plants, polyploidy is now recognized to have played a major role in the structure, gene content, and evolution of most eukaryotic genomes. In fact, the diversity of eukaryotes seems closely tied to multiple WGDs. Polyploidy generates new genomic interactions – initially resulting in “genomic and transcriptomic shock” – that must be resolved in a new polyploid lineage. This process essentially acts as a “reset” button, resulting in genomic changes that may ultimately promote adaptive speciation. This book brings together for the first time the conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of polyploid genome evolution with syntheses of the patterns and processes of genome evolution in diverse polyploid groups. Because polyploidy is most common and best studied in plants, the book emphasizes plant models, but recent studies of vertebrates and fungi are providing fresh perspectives on factors that allow polyploid speciation and shape polyploid genomes. The emerging paradigm is that polyploidy – through alterations in genome structure and gene regulation – generates genetic and phenotypic novelty that manifests itself at the chromosomal, physiological, and organismal levels, with long-term ecological and evolutionary consequences.