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Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 17 Conventionally, architecture relates to buildings, embracing both art and science, and specifying both form and function. In scope, this closely matches the study of plant architecture. From an artistic perspective, we might marvel at the astonishing diversity of aesthetically pleasing plant structures, yet as scientists we know that, through natural selection, very little of form is dissociated from function. The origins of studies of plant architecture and their influences on human existence are steeped in history, but, from a twenty-first century perspective, the field has been transformed from a discipline of observation and description into one in which complex networks of genetic, chemical and environmental factors can be directly manipulated and modelled. Arguably, manipulation of plant architecture has been one of the greatest mainstays of plant improvement – perhaps second only to the discoveries of the nutritional requirements of plants. With the advent of the ‘gene revolution’, there are countless new opportunities for selective modification of plant architecture. This book provides a broad coverage of our current understanding of plant architecture and its manipulation, ranging from the architecture of the individual cell to that of the whole plant. It is directed at researchers and professionals in plant physiology, developmental biology, molecular biology, genetics and biotechnology.

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This volume brings together a broad array of scientific expertise to focus on the characterization and utilization of cellulosic materials. Researchers from Austria, Germany, Sweden, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S. explore many facets of the plant cell wall, from its fundamental structure and its manipulation via molecular biology to its application in composite materials. Exciting applications of near infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, confocal microscopy, and molecular coupling as a viscoelastic probe provide new insights into the ultrastructure and properties of cellulosic materials.

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Living organisms are subject to fluctuating environmental conditions. Whereas most animals are able to move away from unfavourable conditions, plants are sessile and so must cope with whatever comes their way. Of all the environmental cues that challenge the developing plant, light can probably be considered to be the most important. In addition to its key role in plant metabolism, and hence almost all life on Earth, where it drives the process of photosynthesis, light energy also acts to regulate plant growth and development. Light quantity, quality, direction and diurnal and seasonal duration regulate processes from germination, through seedling establishment to the architecture of the mature plant and the transition to reproductive development. These developmental responses of plants to light constitute photomorphogenesis. This volume is designed to provide the reader with state-of-the-art accounts of our current knowledge of the major classes of higher plant regulatory photoreceptors and the signal transduction networks that comprise plant developmental photobiology. Consideration is also given to the ways in which knowledge of plant photoreceptors and their signalling networks can be exploited, for instance to improve the quality and productivity of commercially-grown plants. The book is directed at researchers and professionals working in plant molecular biology, plant physiology and plant biochemistry.

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With the dramatically rising sophistication of biological methods and products and the increasing use of recombinant DNA technology, now is an apt time to review the status of biotechnology in animal feeding. This book gives succinct yet comprehensive coverage of products of biotechnology and allied sciences used in animal feed and feeding industries. Particular emphasis is placed on: – Conservation and upgrading of feeds and feed components – Increasing the protein value of feeds – Antimicrobials – Microbial feed additives – Increasing the energy value of feeds. Moreover, increasing environmental concerns are reflected in chapters describing dietary products which may help to reduce environmental hazards from animal feeding enterprises. A discussion of social and legislative aspects relating to biotechnology and animal feeding rounds off this useful compilation of timely articles.

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This first ever coverage of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of biopharmaceuticals meets the need for a comprehensive book in this field. It spans all topics from lead identification right up to final-stage clinical trials. Following an introduction to the role of PK and PD in the development of biotech drugs, the book goes on to cover the basics, including the pharmacokinetics of peptides, monoclonal antibodies, antisense oligonucleotides, as well as viral and non-viral gene delivery vectors. The second section discusses such challenges and opportunities as pulmonary delivery of proteins and peptides, and the delivery of oligonucleotides. The final section considers the integration of PK and PD concepts into the biotech drug development plan, taking as case studies the preclinical and clinical drug development of tasidotin, as well as the examples of cetuximab and pegfilgrastim. The result is vital reading for all pharmaceutical researchers.

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This book provides a comprehensive review of the chemistry and research illustrating the benefits of polyurethane for immobilizing cells, with dozens of case studies in medical devices and environmental engineering. • Offers an essential resource for medical and environmental scientists • Provides a multidisciplinary and lucid writing style that uses little or no jargon • Extrapolates current technology into advanced areas, especially environmental remediation and medical devices • Fills the gap between immobilization research and practical applications

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Tissue engineering takes advantages of the combined use of cultured living cells and three-dimensional scaffolds to reconstruct adult tissues that are absent or malfunctioning. This book brings together scientists and clinicians working on a variety of approaches for regenerating of damaged or lost cartilage and bone to assess the progress of this dynamic field. In its early days, tissue engineering was driven by material scientists who designed novel bio-resorbable scaffolds on which to seed cells and grow tissues. This ground-breaking work generated high expectations, but there have been significant stumbling blocks holding back the widespread use of these techniques in the clinic. These challenges, and potential ways of overcoming them, are given thorough coverage in the discussions that follow each chapter. The key questions addressed in this book include the following. How good must cartilage repair be for it to be worthwhile? What is the best source of cells for tissue engineering of both bone and cartilage? Which are the most effective cell scaffolds? What are the best preclinical models for these technologies? And when it comes to clinical trials, what sort of outcome measures should be used? With contributions from some of the leading experts in this field, this timely publication will prove essential reading for anyone with an interest in the field of tissue engineering.

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Quality Systems and Control for Pharmaceuticals is an accessible overview of the highly-regulated area of pharmaceutical manufacture, the production of biomedical materials, and biomedical devices. Introducing the subject in a clear and logical manner it enables the reader to grasp the key concepts of the multidisciplinary area of control science and specifically quality control using industrial and theoretical models. Taking a multidisciplinary approach to the subject the reader is guided through key topics such as product safety which takes into account aspects of analytical science, statistics, microbiology, biotechnology, engineering, business practice and optimizing models, the law and safeguarding public health, innovation and inventiveness and contemporary best practice. The author has both industry and academic experience and many ‘best practice’ examples are included throughout the text based on his own industry experience and current practicing industrial pharmacists. This is an invaluable reference for all students of pharmacy who may have little or no familiarity with industrial practice and for those studying BSc chemistry, biomedical sciences, process analytical chemistry and MSc in Industrial Practice.

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During the last decade, image and signal compression for storage and transmission purpose has seen a great expansion. But what about medical data compression? Should a medical image or a physiological signal be processed and compressed like any other data? The progress made in imaging systems, storing systems and telemedicine makes compression in this field particularly interesting. However, this compression has to be adapted to the specificities of biomedical data which contain diagnosis information. As such, this book offers an overview of compression techniques applied to medical data, including: physiological signals, MRI, X-ray, ultrasound images, static and dynamic volumetric images. Researchers, clinicians, engineers and professionals in this area, along with postgraduate students in the signal and image processing field, will find this book to be of great interest.

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Learn to apply modeling and parameter estimation tools and strategies to chemicalprocesses using your personal computer This book introduces readers to powerful parameter estimation and computational methods for modeling complex chemical reactions and reaction processes. It presents useful mathematical models, numerical methods for solving them, and statistical methods for testing and discriminating candidate models with experimental data. Topics covered include: Chemical reaction models Chemical reactor models Probability and statistics Bayesian estimation Process modeling with single-response data Process modeling with multi-response data Computer software (Athena Visual Studio) is available via a related Web site http://www.athenavisual.com enabling readers to carry out parameter estimation based on their data and to carry out process modeling using these parameters. As an aid to the reader, an appendix of example problems and solutions is provided. Computer-Aided Modeling of Reactive Systems is an ideal supplemental text for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in chemical engineering courses, while it also serves as a valuable resource for practitioners in industry who want to keep up to date on the most current tools and strategies available.

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