Lake Baikal is the oldest, deepest and most voluminous lake on Earth, comprising one fifth of the World’s unfrozen fresh water. It hosts the highest number of endemic animals recorded in any freshwater lake. Until recently it remained enigmatic why such a high diversity evolved in the isolated Lake Baikal. Focusing on the sponges (phylum Porifera) as an example, some answers are provided to fundamental questions on evolutionary forces. The characteristic feature of these animals is that they form their polymeric silicic acid skeleton enzymatically. This process is explored using modern molecular biological and cellular biological techniques to outline strategies to fabricate novel materials applicable in biomedicine and nanooptics.

Functional Marine Biomaterials: Properties and Applications provides readers with the latest information on the diverse marine environment as a resource for many new substances, including biopolymers, bioceramics, and biominerals. As recent advances and funding has enabled scientists to begin harnessing many of these materials for biomedical applications from drug delivery to bone tissue engineering and biosensors, this important new text provides readers with a comprehensive review of these materials and their functional applications in the biomedical field. Chapters discuss the properties of the main classes of functional marine biomaterials, applications of marine products in tissue engineering, applications in drug delivery systems, and the role of marine derived materials in medical devices. - Provides readers with the latest information on the diverse marine environment as a resource for many new substances, including biopolymers, bioceramics, and biominerals - Presents a comprehensive review of these materials and their functional applications in the biomedical field - Discusses the properties of the main classes of functional marine biomaterials, applications of marine products in tissue engineering, applications in drug delivery systems, and the role of marine derived materials in medical devices

This book cover advances in the study of processes of nonlinear propagation of continuous and pulsed laser radiation in a continuous and micro structured optical media. It details distributed fiber-optical measuring systems, the physical basis of ultra-low laser cooling of atoms, and studies of optical and nonlinear optical properties of nanostructured heterogeneous systems.

One of two special issues of Advances in Marine Biology focusing on sponge science, it features comprehensive reviews of the latest studies that are advancing our understanding of the fascinating marine phylum Porifera. The selected contributors are internationally renowned researchers in their respective fields and provide a thorough overview of the state-of-the-art of sponge science. This volume will become a reference to marine biologists with interest in benthic ecology and biotic interactions, including symbiosis; chemical and molecular ecology; systematics, phylogeny, and evolution; sponge culture and tissue engineering

The authors "have intended to make the forefront of sponge research easily accessible to the nonspecialist, illustrating the state of the art of the field,and presenting current controversial issues. For the specialist, we wanted this monograph to be a handy, valuable update on the most recent advances in sponge science."--p. x

Enzymes in the Valorization of Waste: Next-Gen Technological Advances for Sustainable Development of Enzyme-based Biorefinery focusses on key enzymes which are involved in the development of integrated biorefinery. It highlights the modern next-gen technologies for promoting the application of sustainable and greener enzymatic steps at industrial scale for the development of futuristic and self-sustainable "consolidated/integrated biorefinery/enzyme-based biorefinery." It also deals with technological advancement for improvement of enzyme yield or specificity, conversion capability, such as protein and metabolic engineering and advances in next generation technologies, and so forth. Features: • Explores all modern-day technologies that can potentially be used in enzyme-based biorefinery conversion of wastes to value-added products. • Covers technological, economic, and environmental assessments of enzyme-based biorefinery prospects. • Deliberates all possible products that can be generated from wastes including biofuel and essential chemicals. • Illustrates techniques for enhanced yield and properties to be used in various industrial applications. • Reviews advanced information of relevant sources and mechanism of enzymes. This book is aimed at graduate students, researchers and related industry professionals in biochemical engineering, environmental science, wastewater treatment, biotechnology, applied microbiology, biomass-based biorefinery, biochemistry, green chemistry, sustainable development, waste treatment, enzymology, microbial biotechnology, and waste valorization.