Airway smooth muscle plays a dominant role in bronchial asthma, as well as a significant role in various pulmonary diseases, such as chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis and emphysema. Myogenic, neurogenic, and humoral factors control airway smooth-muscle tone. This text provides a state-of-the-art summary and critical discussion of airway smooth muscle from a multidisciplinary point of view. Topics discussed include morphology, biochemical regulation, mechanical and electrophysiological be...

Flow cytometry is a state-of-the-art technology that is widely used in biological research and clinical diagnostics. It is a high-throughput platform that allows the quantification, differentiation, and functional study of cells or cell like particles in suspension. Various cell components can be targeted with fluorescently labelled antibodies or fluorescent dyes to allow measurement and analysis of the physical, chemical, and biological properties of individual cells within homogenous or ...

This book provides in-depth reviews of the role of Rhizobium in agriculture and its biotechnological applications. Individual chapters explore topics such as: the occurrence and distribution of Rhizobium; phenotypic and molecular characteristics of Rhizobium; impact of Rhizobium on other microbial communities in the rhizosphere; N2-fixation ability of Rhizobium; Rhizobium and biotic stress; Rhizobium-mediated restoration of an ecosystem; in silico analysis of the rhizobia pool; further bio...

Environmental conditions and processes are one of the major pillars on which the human well-being rests. It is the core responsibility of the society to preserve and enhance better conditions for the human well-being. Indeed, there are several evolving unmet needs in public health. Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and a surge in the incidence of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases (CAD), chronic respiratory diseases, and metabolic diseases have been imp...

The cardiovascular system is vital for human well-being, playing key roles in thermoregulation, nutrient transport, fluid balance, and protection from infection. Cardiovascular diseases are leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, toxins, and environmental factors can induce cardiovascular toxicity, causing structural changes and impairing blood flow. Co-morbidities like diabetes and obesity, along with epigenetic factors and infections, further enhance ca...

The future of agriculture strongly depends on our ability to enhance productivity without sacrificing long-term production potential. An ecologically and economically sustainable strategy is the application of microorganisms, such as the diverse bacterial species of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). The use of these bio-resources for the enhancement of crop productivity is gaining worldwide importance."Bacteria in Agrobiology: Stress Management" covers the major aspe...

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been used as a biopesticide in agriculture, forestry and mosquito control because of its advantages of specific toxicity against target insects, lack of polluting residues and safety to non-target organisms. The insecticidal properties of this bacterium are due to insecticidal proteins produced during sporulation. Despite these ecological benefits, the use of Bt biopesticides has lagged behind the synthetic chemicals. Genetic improvement of Bt natural strain...

Biotechnology and Biology of Trichoderma serves as a comprehensive reference on the chemistry and biochemistry of one of the most important microbial agents, Trichoderma, and its use in an increased number of industrial bioprocesses for the synthesis of many biochemicals such as pharmaceuticals and biofuels. This book provides individuals working in the field of Trichoderma, especially biochemical engineers, biochemists and biotechnologists, important information on how these valuable fung...

More than a century has passed since the first bioformulations were introduced to the market. But there is still much to be done, explored and developed. Though bioformulations offer green alternatives and are important for sustainable agriculture, they make up only a small fraction of the total additions used to enhance crop yields or protect them from pests. There is a great need to develop bioformulations that can promote confidence among end users; accordingly, it is imperative that bi...

This books presents an updated compilation on fundamental interaction mechanisms of microbial communities with the plant roots and rhizosphere (belowground) and leaves and aerial parts (aboveground). Plant rhizopshere recruits its own microbial composition that survive there and help plants grow and develop better under biotic and abiotic conditions. Similar is the case with the beneficial microorganisms which are applied as inoculants with characteristic functions. The mechanism of plant-...

Global yields of legumes have been relatively stagnant for the last five decades, despite the adoption of conventional and molecular breeding approaches. The use of plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacteria for improving agricultural production, soil and plant health has become one of the most attractive strategies for developing sustainable agriculture. Actinomycetes are bacteria that play an important role in PGP and plant protection, produce secondary metabolites of commercial interest, and...

Plant microbe interaction is a complex relationship that can have various beneficial impacts on both the communities. An urgent need of today’s world is to get high crop yields in an ecofriendly manner. Utilization of beneficial and multifaceted plant growth promoting (PGP) microorganisms can solve the problem of getting enhanced yields without disturbing the ecosystem thus leading to sustainability. For this to achieve understanding of the intricate details of how the beneficial microbes ...