A New Model for Analyzing Antimicrobial Peptides with Biomedical Applications


Book Description

Annotation This book is aimed at two audiences. First, it will present evidence for the earthworm's immune system. Second, the results strongly suggest that certain molecules of the earthworm's immune system may be exploited as natural antibiotics--thus the biomedical applications. There are two advantages for using earthworms. First, they are an inexpensive, non-controversial invertebrate model. Second, in contrast to other invertebrates (e.g. Drosophila, C elegans) they are essential for maintaining the integrity of soil. Earthworms have a highly effective immune system since cancer cannot be induced in them nor does it seem to occur in natural populations. Cytotoxicity of cancer cells has been examined in relation to two earthworm leukocytes based upon: structure; cell differentiation antigens; function revealed by FACS and mAbs. These cells are SMALL (8-11 m) electron dense (SC), positive for human cell adhesion molecules (CD11a, CD45RA, CD45RO, CDw49b, CD54, for?2-microglobulin and for Thy-1; LARGE (12-15 m) electron lucent cells (LC), negative for these same markers. Leukocytes synthesize and secrete lytic molecules (fetidins, CCF-1, lysenin, eiseniapore) participate in recognition of, binding to, killing and sequestration of cancer cells in vitro. Earthworm lytic levels are significantly higher than those of human NK cells. Earthworms possess a highly evolved, unique and efficient immune system that has facilitated long-term survival.







Antimicrobial Peptides


Book Description

This book presents an overview of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), their mechanisms of antimicrobial action, other activities, and various problems that must still be overcome regarding their clinical application. Divided into four major parts, the book begins with a general overview of AMPs (Part I), and subsequently discusses the various mechanisms of antimicrobial action and methods for researching them (Part 2). It then addresses a range of activities other than antimicrobial action, such as cell penetration, antisepsis, anticancer, and immunomodulatory activities (Part 3), and explores the prospects of clinical application from various standpoints such as the selective toxicity, design, and discovery of AMPs (Part 4). A huge number of AMPs have been discovered in plants, insects, and vertebrates including humans, and constitute host defense systems against invading pathogenic microorganisms. Consequently, many attempts have been made to utilize AMPs as antibiotics. AMPs could help to solve the urgent problem of drug-resistant bacteria, and are also promising with regard to sepsis and cancer therapy. Gathering a wealth of information, this book will be a bible for all those seeking to develop antibiotics, anti-sepsis, or anticancer agents based on AMPs.




Prokaryotic Antimicrobial Peptides


Book Description

The book will provide an overview of the advancement of fundamental knowledge and applications of antimicrobial peptides in biomedical, agricultural, veterinary, food, and cosmetic products. Antimicrobial peptides stand as potentially great alternatives to current antibiotics, and most research in this newly-created area has been published in journals and other periodicals. It is the editors’ opinion that it is timely to sum up the most important achievements in the field and provide the scientific community in a reference book. The goals of this project include illustrating the achievements made so far, debating the state of the art, and drawing new perspectives.




Peptide Applications in Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Bioengineering


Book Description

Peptide Applications in Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Bioengineering summarizes the current knowledge on peptide applications in biomedicine, biotechnology and bioengineering. After a general introduction to peptides, the book addresses the many applications of peptides in biomedicine and medical technology. Next, the text focuses on peptide applications in biotechnology and bioengineering and reviews of peptide applications in nanotechnology. This book is a valuable resource for biomaterial scientists, polymer scientists, bioengineers, mechanical engineers, synthetic chemists, medical doctors and biologists. - Presents a self-contained work for the field of biomedical peptides - Summarizes the current knowledge on peptides in biomedicine, biotechnology and bioengineering - Covers current and potential applications of biomedical peptides




Microbial Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals


Book Description

Showcases the recent advances in microbial functional food applications across food science, microbiology, biotechnology, and chemical engineering Microbial technology plays a key role in the improvement of biotechnology, cosmeceuticals, and biopharmaceutical applications. It has turned into a subject of expanding significance because new microbes and their related biomolecules are distinguished for their biological activity and health benefits. Encompassing both biotechnology and chemical engineering, Microbial Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals brings together microbiology, bacteria, and food processing/mechanization, which have applications for a variety of audiences. Pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and medical device development all employ microbial food technology. The book addresses the recent advances in microbial functional foods and associated applications, providing an important reference work for graduates and researchers. It also provides up-to-date information on novel nutraceutical compounds and their mechanisms of action—catering to the needs of researchers and academics in food science and technology, microbiology, chemical engineering, and other disciplines who are dealing with microbial functional foods and related areas. Microbial Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals is: Ground-breaking: Includes the latest developments and research in the area of microbial functional foods and nutraceuticals Multidisciplinary: Applicable across food science and technology, microbiology, biotechnology, chemical engineering, and other important research fields Practical and academic: An important area of both academic research and new product development in the food and pharmaceutical industries Microbial Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals is an ideal resource of information for biologists, microbiologists, bioengineers, biochemists, biotechnologists, food technologists, enzymologists, and nutritionists.




Environmental Pollution


Book Description

Pollution is the release of chemical, physical, biological or radioactive contaminants to the environment. Principal forms of pollution include: air pollution, the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common examples include carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight. Water pollution affects oceans and inland bodies of water. Examples include organic and inorganic chemicals, heavy metals, petrochemicals, chloroform, and bacteria. Water pollution may also occur in the form of thermal pollution and the depletion of dissolved oxygen. Soil contamination often occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground storage tank leakage. Contaminants include hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE, herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Often occurs with water pollution, thanks to surface runoff and groundwater. Radioactive contamination was added in the wake of 20th-century discoveries in atomic physics. Noise pollution encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar. Light pollution, includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference. Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, highway billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of junk or municipal solid waste. The nature, distribution and ecological effects of all types and forms of pollutants in air, soil and water are the subject of this book.




Soil Health and Land Use Management


Book Description

Soils play multiple roles in the quality of life throughout the world, not only as the resource for food production, but also as the support for our structures, the environment, the medium for waste disposal, water, and the storage of nutrients. A healthy soil can sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant and animal health. Understanding the impact of land management practices on soil properties and processes can provide useful indicators of economic and environmental sustainability. The sixteen chapters of this book orchestrate a multidisciplinary composition of current trends in soil health. Soil Health and Land Use Management provides a broad vision of the fundamental importance of soil health. In addition, the development of feasible management and remediation strategies to preserve and ameliorate the fitness of soils are discussed in this book. Strategies to improve land management and relevant case studies are covered, as well as the importance of characterizing soil properties to develop management and remediation strategies. Moreover, the current management of several environmental scenarios of high concern is presented, while the final chapters propose new methodologies for soil pollution assessment.




Functional Chitosan


Book Description

Thanks to their unique properties, chitosan and chitosan-based materials have numerous applications in the field of biomedicine, especially in drug delivery. This book examines biomedical applications of functional chitosan, exploring the various functions and applications in the development of chitosan-based biomaterials. It also describes the chemical structure of chitosan and discusses the relationship between their structure and functions, providing a theoretical basis for the design of biomaterials. Lastly, it reviews chemically modified and composite materials of chitin and chitosan derivatives for biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering, nanomedicine, drug delivery, and gene delivery.




Antimicrobial Peptides


Book Description

In this text, the small team of expert authors presents the field in a comprehensive and accessible manner that is well suited for students and junior researchers. The result is a highly readable and systematically structured introduction to antimicrobial peptides, their structure, biological function and mode of action. The authors point the way towards a rational design of this potentially highly effective new class of clinical antibiotics on the brink of industrial application. They do this by discussing their design principles, target membranes and structure-activity relationships. The final part of the book describes recent successes in the application of peptides as anticancer agents.