The 4th International Conference on Selenium in the Environment and Human Health was held 18-21 October 2015 in SPaulo, Brazil. This conference provided an effective scientific communication platform for researchers in different disciplines worldwide to elucidate and better understand those complex roles of Se as both essential nutrient and enviro
“Role of selenium in health and disease”. This book contains ten articles covering recent advances in our understanding of the relationship between the essential micronutrient selenium and human health and disease. Taken together, these articles strengthen the evidence showing that selenium, as a constituent of selenoproteins, is central to biological stress responses and mechanisms commonly altered in most complex disorders. Relevant to public health concerns, this book also emphasizes the U-shaped dose-response relationship between selenium concentration and disease risk across diverse populations from Europe [articles 2,3,6], the Middle East and North Africa [9], and Taiwan [5]. This highlights the importance of personalized nutrition strategies targeted at individuals with increased risk of disease and low selenium intake. The mechanisms by which selenium status, selenoprotein expression, and inherited genetic variations in the selenium pathway interact to affect molecular pathways involved in disease development are explored in human cohorts [2,3,5-7], and in animal [4] and in vitro models [8]. Furthermore, some reports identified novel potential biomarkers of disease risk and prognosis within the selenium pathway that could further our understanding of many chronic diseases [2,3]. Overall, this book broadens our understanding of the role of selenium in chronic diseases, and provides new directions for future preventative approaches.
Plants and microbes have co-evolved and interacted with each other in nature. Understanding the complex nature of the plant-microbe interface can pave the way for novel strategies to improve plant productivity in an eco-friendly manner. The microbes associated with plants, often called plant microbiota, are an integral part of plant life. The significance of the plant microbiome is a reliable approach toward sustainability to meet future food crises and rejuvenate soil health. Profiling plant-associate microbiomes (genome assemblies of all microbes) is an emerging concept in understanding plant-microbe interactions. Microbiota extends the plant capacity to acclimatize fluctuating environmental conditions through several mechanisms. Thus, unraveling the mystery of plant-microbe dynamics through latest technologies to better understand the role of metabolites and signal pathway mechanisms is very important. This book shares the latest insight on omics technologies to unravel plant-microbe dynamic interactions and other novel phytotechnologies for cleaning contaminated soils. Besides, it also provides brief insight on the recently discovered clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats CRISPR-Cas9, which is a genome editing tool to explore plant-microbe interactions and how this genome editing tool helps to improve the ability of microbes/plants to combat abiotic/biotic stresses.
Microbial Management of Plant Stresses: Current Trends, Application and Challenges explores plant microbiota including isolated microbial communities that have been used to study the functional capacities, ecological structure and dynamics of the plant-microbe interaction with focus on agricultural crops. Presenting multiple examples and evidence of the potential genetic flexibility of microbial systems to counteract the climate induced stresses associated with their host as a part of indigenous system, this book presents strategies and approaches for improvement of microbiome. As climate changes have altered the global carbon cycling and ecological dynamics, the regular and periodic occurrences of severe salinity, drought, and heat stresses across the different regimes of the agro-ecological zones have put additional constraints on agricultural ecosystem to produce efficient foods and other derived products for rapidly growing world population through low cost and sustainable technology. Furthermore chemical amendments, agricultural inputs and other innovative technologies although may have fast results with fruitful effects for enhancing crop productivity but also have other ecological drawbacks and environmental issues and offer limited use opportunities. Microbial formulations and/or microbial consortia deploying two or multiple partners have been frequently used for mitigation of various stresses, however, field success is often variable and improvement Smart, knowledge-driven selection of microorganisms is needed as well as the use of suitable delivery approaches and formulations. Microbial Management of Plant Stresses: Current Trends, Application and Challenges presents the functional potential of plant microbiota to address current challenges in crop production addressing this urgent need to bring microbial innovations into practice. - Demonstrates microbial ecosystems as an indigenous system for improving plant growth, health and stress resilience - Covers all the novel aspects of microbial regulatory mechanism. Key challenges associated with microbial delivery and successful establishment for plant growth promotion and stress avoidance - Explores plant microbiome and the modulation of plant defense and ecological dynamics under stressed environment
Advances in Agronomy, Volume 154 continues the legacy of this leading series and first-rate source for the latest research in agronomy. Each volume contains an eclectic group of reviews by leading scientists throughout the world. As always, the subjects covered are rich, varied and exemplary of the abundant subject matter addressed by this long-running serial. Chapters in this updated volume include Experiments, Uptake Mechanisms and Functioning of Si foliar fertilization - A Review Focusing on Maize, Rice and Wheat, Pre-drought Priming: A Key Drought Tolerance Engine in Support of Grain Development in Wheat, Bio-Waste Management in Sub-Tropical Soils of India, and more.
This book covers many facets of plant selenium (Se) accumulation: molecular genetics, biochemistry, physiology, and ecological and evolutionary aspects. Broader impacts and applications of plant Se accumulation also receive attention. Plant Se accumulation is very relevant for environmental and human health. Selenium is both essential at low levels and toxic at high levels, and both Se deficiency and toxicity are problems worldwide. Selenium can positively affect crop productivity and nutritional value. Plants may also be used to clean up excess environmental Se. Selenium in plants has profound ecological impact, and likely contributes to Se movement in ecosystems and global Se cycling.
This book summarizes the fast-growing and current knowledge about selenium interaction with cancer, diabetes, neuro-degeneration, heart disease, muscle disorders, HIV and several more. A special focus will be placed on in-depth knowledge about gene expression, selenoprotein biosynthesis, seleno-metabolism--as well as the molecular pathways, physiological roles, and the molecular action of selenium including interaction with other elements and vitamins or as Se-nanoparticles. The reader will receive the newest information regarding redox status and redox regulatory systems, specifically in relation to different glutathione peroxidases and thioredoxin-reductases as well as about cellular bioavailability and cytotoxicity, de-balanced immune response, inflammation or dietary aspects.
Combustion Emissions: Formation, Reaction, and Removal of Trace Metals in Combustion Products presents the latest scientific knowledge on combustion, with a particular focus on the behavior of elements in this high temperature method of energy generation. The book describes methods of control and establishes a solid base of understanding for future research. Encyclopedic in style and consistent in format, each chapter systematically presents a complete analysis of the combustion behavior of each element and guides the reader in resolving specific problems. This includes source levels in fuels and fuel usage, emission and pollutant release into the environment and environmental effects, and more. Societal impacts and environmental concerns are considered throughout, highlighting sustainability aspects across a diverse range of applications, such as within power plants, automobiles and propulsion. - Presents the latest research in a very systematic way - Includes methods of control and establishes a base of understanding for future research in energy systems - Analyzes the individual behavior of 34 elements, considering their chemistry, nature and environmental impacts
This book is the second volume on this topic within the series. With unique properties, nanomaterials are rapidly finding novel applications in many fields such as food, medicine, agriculture and pollution. Such applications include to treat cancer, nanosensors to detect food contamination, nanomaterials for food packaging, nanoencapsulation to preserve nutraceuticals, and nanofertilisers for advanced agriculture. After an introductory chapter on property rights of nanomaterials, readers will discover the applications of nanotechnology in food, health, environment, ecotoxicology and agriculture.
The biological importance of selenium has been firmly established by scientists for its intricate roles in various biochemical and physiological mechanisms related to animal and human health. To evaluate different facets of selenium in today’s complex environment and to provide a worldwide platform for multi-disciplinary selenium researchers, the 6th International Conference on Selenium in the Environment and Human Health was held from 27 to 30 October 2019 in Yangling/Xi’an, China. This proceedings volume brings together 103 extended abstracts prepared by contributors from academia, industry, and governmental agencies in 18 countries, including some most recent research findings among different selenium research disciplines from cell molecular and plant biology, geochemistry, biofortification, to environmental and health management. Selenium researchers worldwide provide extraordinary new knowledge on selenium in the peer-reviewed texts contained within this book.
