This book synthesizes the key concepts of immunosuppression and immunomodulation. A comprehensive understanding of these processes is necessary to develop vaccines and therapeutic interventions for diseases. This book examines the role of information molecules such as cytokines and chemokines and other proteins secreted by the host upon interacting with the pathogen(s) that modulate and suppress the immune system and assist the pathogen(s) in causing disease. Chapters discuss the modulation of inflammation, signaling pathways, the interaction of immune cells, and resulting immunity as well as its suppression.

Advanced Biophysical Techniques for Polysaccharides Characterization offers a detailed insight into the cutting-edge techniques available for the identification, quantification, characterization and structural analysis of polysaccharides. A wide range of techniques are covered, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical microscopy, non-linear optical microscopy and spectroscopic techniques like Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR), X ray diffraction, light scattering, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Dynamic Nuclear Polarization and TEM techniques are also considered. Various polysaccharides are investigated along with their applications across a range of industries. Each chapter offers a detailed description of the techniques before delving into case studies covering the latest advances. This book provides a one-stop solution to the latest advanced microscopic and spectroscopic techniques for investigating a range of important polysaccharides and is an ideal reference for researchers in the field of biophysics, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmaceutics, food chemistry and related areas. - Covers a range of biophysical techniques for polysaccharide analysis, including NMR, Dynamic Nuclear Polarization, mass spectrometry approaches, X ray diffraction, light scattering, and TEM techniques - Investigates an array of polysaccharides such as glycogen, xanthan, hyaluronan, and more - Includes an introduction to the sources, types, and benefits of polysaccharide - Considers applications of polysaccharides in various industries, including biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, and the food industry

Twenty years ago the very idea of an international conference on the fiber contained in plant food would have been totally inconceivable. At that time fiber was generally viewed as an inert component of food of no nutritional value and consequently consid ered as a contaminant, the removal of which would enhance the purity of a product. It was measured by a now obsolete and almost worthless test introduced in the last century for veterinary rather than human nutrition, and what was measured was referred to as "crude fiber," containing part of the cellulose and lignin but none of the numerous components of fiber now known to play important roles in the maintenance of health. There were a few lone voices prior to the last two decades who had extolled the laxative properties of the undigested portion of food, assuming that these were related to its irritant action on the bowel mucosa. In retrospect this was a total misconception, and "softage" would have been a more appropriate term than "roughage," since its presence insured soft, not irritating, colon content.

Bioactive Polysaccharides offers a comprehensive review of the structures and bioactivities of bioactive polysaccharides isolated from traditional herbs, fungi, and seaweeds. It describes and discusses specific topics based on the authors' rich experience, including extraction technologies, practical techniques required for purification and fractionation, strategies and skills for elucidating the fine structures, in-vitro and in-vivo protocols, and methodologies for evaluating the specific bioactivities, including immune-modulating activities, anti-cancer activities, anti-oxidant activities, and others. This unique book also discusses partial structure-functionality (bioactivities) relationships based on conformational studies. This comprehensive work can be used as a handbook to explore potential applications in foods, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceutical areas for commercial interests. - Serves as a comprehensive review on extraction technologies, and as a practical guide for the purification and fractionation of bioactive polysaccharides - Brings step-by-step strategies for elucidating the fine structures and molecular characterizations of bioactive polysaccharides - Includes detailed experimental design and methodologies for investigation bioactivities using both in-vitro and in-vivo protocols - Clarifies how to extract, purify, and fractionate bioactive polysaccharides, also exploring health benefits - Useful as a guide to explore the commercial potentials of bioactive polysaccharides as pharmaceuticals, medicine, and functional foods

This book continues as volume 5 of a multicompendium on Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants. It covers edible fruits/seeds used fresh, cooked or processed as vegetables, cereals, spices, stimulant, edible oils and beverages. It covers selected species from the following families: Apiaceae, Brassicaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Cunoniaceae, Lythraceae, Papaveraceae, Poaceae, Polygalaceae, Polygonaceae, Proteaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rhamnaceae, Rubiaceae, Salicaceae, Santalaceae, Xanthorrhoeaceae and Zingiberaceae. This work will be of significant interest to scientists, medical practitioners, pharmacologists, ethnobotanists, horticulturists, food nutritionists, botanists, agriculturists, conservationists, lecturers, students and the general public. Topics covered include: taxonomy; common/English and vernacular names; origin and distribution; agroecology; edible plant parts and uses; botany; nutritive/pharmacological properties, medicinal uses, nonedible uses; and selected references.

This book outlines the production of chitooligossacharides and their derivatives and discusses their main biological activities, biomedical applications and their role in disease prevention. Chitooligosaccharides are products of chitosan or chitin degradation, prepared by enzymatic or chemical hydrolysis of chitosan, and they consist mainly of N-acetyl glucosamine and glucosamine bonded with a glycosidic bond. Compared to chitin and chitosan, chitooligossacharides offer advantages for large-scale and commercial applications due to their solubility in water and lower molecular weight. Written by leading experts, this book is divided into four parts. The first part provides a general introduction to chitooligossacharides. The second part focuses on the bioproduction of chitooligossacharides through enzymatic synthesis and also covers physical and chemical methods of synthesis. The third part explores the major biological activities of chitooligosaccharides, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and neuroprotective activities, and discusses the disease preventing mechanisms of chitooligosaccharides. In this section, readers will also find about the latest in vivo studies which support the use of chitooligosaccharides in the prevention and control of disease. The final part highlights important biomedical applications of chitooligosaccharides, including in tissue engineering, drug delivery and wound healing applications. It also includes the volume editor’s perspective on the health and safety risks of chitooligosaccharides. Given its scope, this book is useful not only for researches in the field but also for students interested in biomaterials, pharmaceuticals, marine biotechnology, nutraceuticals and food science.

"Functional food or medicinal food is any fresh or processed food claimed to have a health-promoting and/or disease-preventing property beyond the basic nutritional function of supplying nutrients, although there is no consensus on an exact definition of the term. This is an emerging field in food science, in which such foods are usually accompanied by health claims for marketing purposes, such as a company's ‘cereal is a significant source of fiber. Studies have shown that an increased amount of fiber in one's diet can decrease the risk of certain types of cancer in individuals.’ Functional foods are sometimes called nutraceuticals, a portmanteau of nutrition and pharmaceutical, and can include food that has been genetically modified. The general category includes processed food made from functional food ingredients, or fortified with health-promoting additives, like "vitamin-enriched" products, and also fresh foods (e.g., vegetables) that have specific claims attached. Fermented foods with live cultures are often also considered to be functional foods with probiotic benefits."