Increasing public health concern about healthy lifestyles has sparked a greater demand among consumers for healthy foods. Natural ingredients and environmental friendly food production and processing chains are more aligned to meeting the demand for healthy food. There is a wide array of food additives and chemicals that have nutritional value. The biotechnological food production processes, therefore, vary for different types of food chemicals and ingredients accordingly. Biotechnological Production of Natural Ingredients for Food Industry explains the main aspects of the production of food ingredients from biotechnological sources. The book features 12 chapters which cover the processes for producing and adding a broad variety of food additives and natural products, such as sweeteners, amino acids, nucleotides, organic acids, vitamins, nutraceuticals, aromatic (pleasant smelling) compounds, colorants, edible oils, hydrocolloids, antimicrobial compounds, biosurfactants and food enzymes. Biotechnological Production of Natural Ingredients for Food Industry is a definitive reference for students, scientists, researchers and professionals seeking to understand the biotechnology of food additives and functional food products, particularly those involved in courses or activities in the fields of food science and technology, food chemistry, food biotechnology, food engineering, bioprocess engineering, biotechnology, applied microbiology and nutrition.

Modern techniques have been developed to overcome problems associated with the extraction of natural products from plants. These techniques include production of secondary metabolites by biotechnological methods such as plant tissue culture and microbial biotransformation of natural substances. Such methods have led to an increased yield of secondary metabolite amount, the discovery of new biochemical derivatives and agricultural development. For instance, use of these techniques in agricultural area have led to some beneficial traits such as formation of new varieties of known plant species, better crop quality, higher yield, better nutritive properties, more resistant species to insects and pests. Microbial biotransformation is beneficial in plant secondary metabolite production and derivatization (chemical modification of any compound made by a microorganism) and is chiefly applicable to several varieties of terpenes and steroids. This E-book demonstrates recent developments in this field. It will be of particular interest to the professionals in pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries, as well as natural product chemists, medicinal chemists, plant biochemists, and molecular biologists.

Brassinosteroids: Practical Applications in Agriculture and Human Health provides a comprehensive overview on the practical applications of brassinosteroids (BRs) in plant biology (including stress tolerance, growth and development) and human health (anticancer, antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity). The book assures readers a high-quality review of practical applications with a selection of contributions from an international panel of expert researchers. The book suggests new opportunities for professionals to effectively increase the supply of quality food and other plant-derived products, and to improve human health. This book is a reference guide for the performance and interpretation of applications of brassinosteroids to agronomists, chemists, physicians and plant physiologists.

Organotins are widespread contaminants especially of water environments. Their chemically versatile structure makes organotin compounds able to bind to a variety of biomolecules thus widely affecting biological functions. Trisubstituted molecules, namely tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPhT), have been widely employed in antifouling paints and are also exploited as plastic stabilizers that unfortunately cause harmful biological effects. Persistent bioaccumulation has resulted in organotins becoming a significant environmental threat. Chapter by chapter, the biological and biochemical effects of organotins are unravelled in this e-book by a careful analysis of the most recent findings with special focus on contaminant action mechanisms at cellular and molecular level. The e-book provides an intriguing insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in organotin toxicology thus serving as a useful reference to biochemists, biologists, ecotoxicologists and life science students.

This eBook presents a comprehensive review on the chemical composition of natural products derived from honeybee farming. These products include honey, pollen and propolis. Each chapter details specific products and the contents are complemented with an explanation of distinct analytical techniques for studying these products. Readers will also find a summary of current information about biological properties and applications of honey, pollen and propolis, which contribute to added value to these bee and plant-derived products. The eBook is a handy reference for students, researchers and laymen studying the biochemical aspects of apiculture.

Comparative bioacoustics is extraordinarily broad in scope. It includes the study of sound propagation, dispersion, attenuation, absorption, reverberation, and signal degradation as well as sound detection, recognition, and classification in both marine and terrestrial organisms (including humans). This research is informed by an understanding of the mechanisms underlying sound generation and aural reception, as well as the anatomy and physiology of the organs dedicated to these functions. Comparative Bioacoustics is the definitive introductory guide to the field of acoustics in animal and human biology. Key features of this volume are: -Comprehensive introduction to sound and related physical phenomena -Multidisciplinary and comparative analyses of bioacoustic phenomena -Integrated audio and video clips -Information about relevant research methods in bioacoustics Comparative Bioacoustics makes key information accessible to readers, therefore, meeting the requirements of both novice and advanced researchers preparing for a scholarly career in bioacoustics.

Computational biology in combination with large-scale biology has played a critical role in exploring the great potentials of embryonic stem cells, resulting in significant discoveries. This e-book brings together reviews and essays from different aspects of the embryonic stem cell research thus providing a comprehensive and updated introduction and reference specifically for computational biology of embryonic stem cells. Selected topics include focused analyses of the genome, transcriptome, epigenome, proteome, and regulatory network of embryonic stem cells, the theories and tools of computational biology used in these studies, and newly available databases and on-line resources for bioinformatics research. Future perspectives of related research activities are also addressed by various authors in this e- book. The book is a valuable reference and handbook for researchers and clinicians conducting stem cell research, as well as students and medical professionals interested in regenerative medicine, developmental biology, bioinformatics and computational biology.

Consanguineous marriages have been practiced for hundreds of years, predominantly by Moslems. Although it is generally accepted among communities that the social advantages outweigh other, the rate of congenital malformations and genetic diseases among the offspring borne of consanguineous marriages is higher and an increase in sterility, rates of abortions, stillbirths and neonatal deaths has been suggested by some researchers. These problems result in a substantial economic burden within the communities involved in the practice. Strategies for reducing the frequency of consanguineous marriages include expansion of educational programs, promotion of genetic testing services, and research to identify the genes responsible for genetic defects. Nowadays, with the migration of large numbers of Moslems towards Western countries, consanguinity is becoming a practical issue in places where it was barely known, previously. This eBook serves as a guide for health care workers and counselors of the phenomenon and its associated problems. This eBook begins with an introduction of the topic from a social, legal and biological perspective. It then progresses to research about associated genetic disorders, reproductive and social awareness issues through the proceeding chapters. The eBook concludes with 2 chapters exploring strategies to counter the effects of consanguinity within the general population.

Plasticity in insulin-producing cells (β-cells) of the pancreas is a major contributor to metabolic control. Targeted regeneration of pancreatic β-cells for the reversal of diabetes (by optimizing β-cells mass and proliferation to meet metabolic requirements and counter autoimmune response) is still a theoretical intervention. This monograph reviews the biology, ontogeny, capabilities, and present practical limitations of β-cell plasticity. Relevant biochemical pathways are described with the inclusion of information about how they change with aging, during pregnancy, and with diet. Readers will learn the following key aspects about β-cell plasticity: -current knowledge of pancreatic β-cells development, and how β-cell mass and proliferation change throughout the human lifespan -the mechanisms responsible for β-cell plasticity, based on animal models and clinical studies revealing environmental, epigenetic, endocrine and paracrine regulators -the therapeutic potential of resident stem cells within the pancreas / bone marrow and β-cell progenitors This monograph is essential reading for researchers interested in updated knowledge about the molecular and cellular biology of β-cells in the quest to find a reliable therapy for diabetes.

This volume brings current knowledge of proteomics technologies and related developments with special reference to diseases caused by microbes. The editor has compiled chapters written by expert academicians which distill the information about useful methods in microbial proteomics for the benefit of readers. Chapters cover several methods used to investigate the microbial proteome and special topics such as antimicrobial drug resistance mechanisms, biomarker developments, post translational modifications. Key Features: -overview of several biochemical methods in proteomics -full-color, high quality images of the most frequent technologies and applications -concise, well organized, and didactic format -updates in basic applied information -bibliographic references -information on proteomics for tuberculosis treatment This reference work is intended for researchers seeking information on laboratory techniques applied in proteomics research and microbiology.