Polio and Its Aftermath: The Paralysis of Culture

Polio and Its Aftermath: The Paralysis of Culture
Marc Shell (Author)

Book Details
* Hardcover: 336 pages
* Publisher: Harvard University Press; 1 edition (June 15, 2005)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0674013158

Book Description
It was not long ago that scientists proclaimed victory over polio, the dread disease of the 1950s. More recently polio resurfaced, not conquered at all, spreading across the countries of Africa. As we once again face the specter of this disease, along with other killers like AIDS and SARS, this powerful book reminds us of the personal cost, the cultural implications, and the historical significance of one of modern humanity's deadliest biological enemies. In Polio and Its Aftermath Marc Shell, himself a victim of polio, offers an inspired analysis of the disease. Part memoir, part cultural criticism and history, part meditation on the meaning of disease, Shell's work combines the understanding of a medical researcher with the sensitivity of a literary critic. He deftly draws a detailed yet broad picture of the lived experience of a crippling disease as it makes it way into every facet of human existence.
Polio and Its Aftermath conveys the widespread panic that struck as the disease swept the world in the mid-fifties. It captures an atmosphere in which polio vied with the Cold War as the greatest cause of unrest in North America--and in which a strange and often debilitating uncertainty was one of the disease's salient but least treatable symptoms. Polio particularly afflicted the young, and Shell explores what this meant to families and communities. And he reveals why, in spite of the worldwide relief that greeted Jonas Salk's vaccine as a miracle of modern science, we have much more to fear from polio now than we know.

Download

Clostridium difficile: Methods and Protocols

Clostridium difficile: Methods and Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology)
Peter Mullany (Editor), Adam P. Roberts (Editor)

Book Details
* Hardcover: 216 pages
* Publisher: Humana Press; 1st Edition. edition (June 8, 2010)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1603273646

Book Description
Clostridium difficile, a major nosocomial pathogen shown to be a primary cause of antibiotic-associated disease, has emerged as a highly transmissible and frequently antibiotic-resistant organism, causing a considerable burden on health care systems worldwide. In Clostridium difficile: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers bring together the most recently developed methods for studying the organism, including techniques involving isolation, molecular typing, genomics, genetic manipulation, and the use of animal models. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, chapters include brief introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes highlighting tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.
Authoritative and cutting-edge, Clostridium difficile: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for scientists now in a position to gain an in-depth understanding of how this organism is transmitted and how it causes disease.

Download

Microbes for Legume Improvement

Microbes for Legume Improvement
by: Mohammad Saghir Khan, Almas Zaidi, Javed Musarrat

Book Details
* Hardcover: 535 pages
* Publisher: Springer; 1st Edition. edition (August 30, 2010)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 3211997520

Book Description
Microbes for Legume Improvement comprises 21 chapters and provides comprehensive information on concepts of microbial technology for the improvement of legumes grown in different agro-ecosystems. The role of microbes including symbiotic nitrogen fixers, asymbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria (like Azospirillum), plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), phosphate-solubilizing microbes, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and biocontrol agents in the improvement of both conventional and forage legumes growth is discussed. The role of bacterial biofilms in legume-Rhizobium interactions and metal tolerant microbes in the improvement of legumes is dealt separately. Furthermore, recent findings on the taxonomic status of rhizobia, various signal molecules affecting symbiosis, legume-pathogen and legume-rhizobial interactions and proteomic analysis of legume–microbe interactions are addressed.
This volume gives a broad view of legume disease management using microbes and presents strategies for the management of cultivated legumes. It is therefore of special interest to both academics and professionals working in the field of microbiology, soil microbiology, environment microbiology, biotechnology and agronomy as well as plant protection sciences.

Download

4d Electron Microscopy: Imaging in Space and Time

4d Electron Microscopy: Imaging in Space and Time
Ahmed H. Zewail, John M. Thomas (Author)

Book Details
* Paperback: 360 pages
* Publisher: Imperial College Press (February 24, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1848164009

Book Description
The modern electron microscope, as a result of recent revolutionary developments and many evolutionary ones, now yields a wealth of quantitative knowledge pertaining to structure, dynamics, and function barely matched by any other single scientific instrument. It is also poised to contribute much new spatially-resolved and time-resolved insights of central importance in the exploration of most aspects of condensed matter, ranging from the physical to the biological sciences. Whereas in all conventional EM methods, imaging, diffraction, and chemical analyses have been conducted in a static - time-integrated - manner, now it has become possible to unite the time domain with the spatial one, thereby creating four-dimensional (4D) electron microscopy. This advance is based on the fundamental concept of timed, coherent single-electron packets, or electron pulses, which are liberated with femtosecond durations. Structural phase transitions, mechanical deformations, and the embryonic stages of melting and crystallization are examples of phenomena that can now be imaged in unprecedented structural detail with high spatial resolution, and ten orders of magnitude as fast as hitherto. No monograph in existence attempts to cover the revolutionary dimensions that EM in its various modes of operation nowadays makes possible. The authors of this book chart these developments, and also compare the merits of coherent electron waves with those of synchrotron radiation. They judge it prudent to recall some important basic procedural and theoretical aspects of imaging and diffraction so that the reader may better comprehend the significance of the new vistas and applications now afoot. This book is not a vade mecum - numerous other texts are available for the practitioner for that purpose. It is instead an in-depth expose of the paradigm concepts and the developed techniques that can now be executed to gain new knowledge in the entire domain of biological and physical science, and in the four dimensions of space and time.

Download

Intracellular Niches of Microbes: A Pathogens Guide Through the Host Cell

Intracellular Niches of Microbes: A Pathogens Guide Through the Host Cell
Ulrich E. Schaible (Editor), Albert Haas (Editor)

Book Details
* Hardcover: 736 pages
* Publisher: Wiley-VCH; 1 edition (September 15, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 3527322078

Book Description
The book describes the different and exciting pathways which have been developed by pathogenic microbes to manage living inside host cells. It covers intracellular life styles of all relevant pathogenic but also symbiotic microorganisms with respect to the cell biology of the host-microbe interactions and the microbial adaptations for intracellular survival. It features intracellular trafficking pathways and characteristics of intracellular niches of individual microbes. The book also asks questions on the benefits for the microbe with regard to physiological needs and nutritional aspects such as auxotrophy, effects on genome sizes, and consequences for disease and host response/immunity (and the benefits for the host in the cases of symbionts).
Additionally, the book includes those pathogens that are medically less important but represent distinct intracellular niches, trafficking behaviours and virulence traits. The individual chapters also point out future challenges of research for the respective organism.

Download

Mycobacteria Protocols

Mycobacteria Protocols
by: Tanya Parish, Amanda Claire Brown

Book Details
* Hardcover: 456 pages
* Publisher: Humana Press; 2nd edition (October 20, 2008)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1588298892

Book Description

Due to the rising threat of tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections, methods to study the biology of the mycobacteria and to improve diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative reagents are still very much in need. Mycobacteria Protocols, Second Edition updates and refines the methods of the well-received first edition while adding newly developed methods culled from the most cutting-edge research in the field. Ranging from the basics of sub-cellular fractionation to advanced methods using specialized growth conditions and whole genome, transcriptome and proteome analysis, the chapters conform to the Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, providing step-by-step laboratory protocols, lists of necessary materials and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.
Comprehensive and up-to-date, Mycobacteria Protocols, Second Edition is the perfect resource to promote and stimulate further research into these intriguing, important and most fractious of bacteria.

Download

Immunoelectron Microscopy: Methods and Protocols

Immunoelectron Microscopy: Methods and Protocols
by: Steven D. Schwartzbach, Tetsuaki Osafune

Book Details
* Hardcover: 352 pages
* Publisher: Humana Press; 1st Edition. edition (July 1, 2010)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 160761782X

Book Description
Immunoelectron microscopy is a key technique that bridges the information gap between biochemistry, molecular biology, and ultrastructural studies placing macromolecular functions within a cellular context. In Immunoelectron Microscopy: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers combine the tools of the molecular biologist with those of the microscopist. From the molecular biology toolbox, this volume presents methods for antigen production by protein expression in bacterial cells, methods for epitope tagged protein expression in plant and animal cells allowing protein localization in the absence of protein specific antibodies as well as methods for the production of anti-peptide, monoclonal, and polyclonal antibodies. From the microscopy toolbox, sample preparation methods for cells, plant, and animal tissue are presented. Both cryo-methods, which have the advantage of retaining protein antigenicity at the expense of ultrastructural integrity, as well as chemical fixation methods that maintain structural integrity while sacrificing protein antigenicity have been included, with chapters examining various aspects of immunogold labeling. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and essential, Immunoelectron Microscopy: Methods and Protocols seeks to facilitate an increased understanding of structure function relationships.

Download

Encyclopaedia of Biological Disaster Management

Encyclopaedia of Biological Disaster Management (10 Volume Set)
by: Ranjeet Kumar Singh, Kumari Swarnim

Book Details
ISBN-10 8178804344 (Set)

Book Description
vol. 1. Hazardous Materials, Alpha Virus and Disaster Management
vol. 2. Biological Disaster: Its Impact on Health and its Management
vol. 3. Biological Disaster Management and Information Technology
vol. 4. Public Health, Trauma and Biological Disaster Management
vol. 5. Nuclear Weapons, Global Warming and Disaster Management
vol. 7. Biological Disaster Management: Major Events and Existing Framework
vol. 8. Biological Control and Disaster Management
vol. 9. Toxic Gases and Disaster Management
vol. 10. Chronology and Dictionary of Biological Disaster Management

Download - Vol1 Vol2 Vol3 Vol4 Vol5 Vol7 Vol8 Vol9 Vol10

Comparative Plant Virology

Comparative Plant Virology, Second Edition
Roger Hull (Author)

Book Details
* Hardcover: 400 pages
* Publisher: Academic Press; 2 edition (February 6, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0123741548

Book Description
Comparative Plant Virology provides a complete overview of our current knowledge of plant viruses including background information on plant viruses and up-to-date aspects of virus biology and control. It deals mainly with concepts rather than detail. The focus will be on plant viruses but due to the changing environment of how virology is taught, comparisons will be drawn with viruses of other kingdomes, animals, fungi and bacteria. It has been written for students of plant virology, plant pathology, virology and microbiology who have no previous knowledge of plant viruses or of virology in general.
* Boxes highlight important information such as virus definition and taxonomy.
* Includes profiles of 32 plant viruses that feature extensively in the text
* Companion website providng image bank
* Full colour throughout

Download

Microbiology of Wounds

Microbiology of Wounds
by: Steven Percival, Keith Cutting

Book Details
* Publisher: CRC Press
* Number Of Pages: 407
* Publication Date: 2010-04-26
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 142007993X
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9781420079937

Book Description:
It is not the presence of microorganisms, but their interaction with patients that determines their influence on wound healing. Documenting this critical but often ignored aspect of the treatment process, Microbiology of Wounds discusses the microbiology and biology of human wounds in relation to infection and non-healing.
Gain the Necessary Scientific and Clinical Knowledge Pertaining to Chronic and Acute Wounds
The practice of wound healing is dynamic, infinitely complex, nonlinear, and prodigiously individualized to the patient. When one considers the myriad host variables that contribute to the disease state, understanding the intricacies of chronic wounds becomes even more difficult. This book presents the necessary scientific and clinical data pertaining to chronic and acute wounds, and discusses inflammation, epithelialization, granulation tissue, and tissue remodeling. It details techniques for treating chronic and acute wounds and covers the mode of action and efficacy of anti-infectives used in treating wounds. Microbiology of Wounds answers the call for a definitive reference on chronic and acute wounds.

Download

Endotoxins: Structure, Function and Recognition

Endotoxins: Structure, Function and Recognition (Subcellular Biochemistry)
by: Xiaoyuan Wang, Peter J. Quinn

Book Details
Publisher: Springer
Number Of Pages: 450
Publication Date: 2010-07-29
ISBN-10 / ASIN: 9048190770

Book Description:
Endotoxins are potentially toxic compounds produced by Gram-negative bacteria including some pathogens. Unlike exotoxins, which are secreted in soluble form by live bacteria, endotoxins are comprised of structural components of bacteria. Endotoxins can cause a whole-body inflammatory state, sepsis, leading to low blood pressure, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and death. This book brings together contributions from researchers in the forefront of these subjects. It is divided into two sections. The first deals with how endotoxins are synthesized and end up on the bacterial surface. The second discussed how endotoxins activate TLR4 and, in turn, how TLR4 generates the molecular signals leading to infectious and inflammatory diseases. The way endotoxins interact with the host cells is fundamental to understanding the mechanism of sepsis, and recent research on these aspects of endotoxins has served to illuminate previously undescribed functions of the innate immune system. This volume presents a description of endotoxins according to their genetic constitution, structure, function and mode of interaction with host cells.

Download

Geobiology: Microbial Mats in Sandy Deposits from the Archean Era to Today

Geobiology: Microbial Mats in Sandy Deposits from the Archean Era to Today
by: Nora Noffke

Book Details
* Hardcover: 194 pages
* Publisher: Springer; 1st Edition. edition (July 4, 2010)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 3642127711

Book Description
This book describes microbially induced sedimentary structures as new group in the Classification of Primary Sedimentary Structures. Those structures rise from the interaction of benthic microorganisms with physical sediment dynamics caused by waves and currents. We can observe the formation of those features today in modern coastal settings, where the structures are much more common than stromatolites. However, fossil structures occur since the earliest Archean, and are abundant throughout Earth history. The structures constitute a significant archive for the understanding of Earth’s earliest worlds, and are important biosignatures for the detection of life on other planets. This book is for sedimentologists, paleontologists, microbiologists, and geobiologists likewise.

Download

Viruses and Human Disease

Viruses and Human Disease, Second Edition
by: James H. Strauss, Ellen G. Strauss

Book Details
* Hardcover: 480 pages
* Publisher: Academic Press; 2 edition (October 1, 2007)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0123737419

Book Description:
Completely revised and updated, the new edition of this groundbreaking text integrates basic virology with pathophysiological conditions to examine the connection between virology and human disease. Most virology textbooks focus on the molecular biology involved without adequate reference to physiology. This text focuses on viruses that infect humans, domestic animals and vertebrates and is based on extensive course notes from James Strauss' virology class at the California Institute of Technology taught for over 30 years. Expertly depicting in color the molecular structure and replication of each virus, it provides an excellent overview for students and professionals interested in viruses as agents of human disease.
* Includes over 30% new material - virtually all of the figures and tables have been redrawn to include the latest information and the text has been extensively rewritten to include the most up-to-date information
* Includes a new chapter on emerging and reemerging viral diseases such as avian flu, SARS, the spread of West Nile virus across America, and the continuing spread of Nipah virus in Southeast Asia.
* Further reading sections at the end of each chapter make it easy find key references
* World maps depicting the current distribution of existing and newly emerging viruses are also incorporated into the text
* A companion website features illustrations for use in class notes and presentations.

Download

Bacterial Plant Pathology: Cell and Molecular Aspects

Bacterial Plant Pathology: Cell and Molecular Aspects
David C. Sigee (Author)

Book Details
* Paperback: 340 pages
* Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1st Pbk. Ed edition (March 17, 2005)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 052161967X

Book Description
Bringing together bacterial structure and function, taxonomy, environmental microbiology, induction and development of plant disease, molecular genetics and disease control, Dr Sigee unifies the field, at the same time as emphasising exciting developments in cell and molecular biology. The book is written in a clear and concise manner, illustrated with numerous tables, diagrams and photographs.

Download