Cole McBride makes a chilling discovery while investigating a mysterious disease causing the deaths of endangered mountain gorillas in war-torn central Africa. When a humanitarian aid hospital nearby diagnoses a disturbingly similar human case, the former Special Forces veterinarian knows he must figure out how to stop this outbreak from spreading--before it blows up into a global pandemic. Halfway across the continent, a massive cargo ship moves out of Sudan's largest port. Buried deep within its hold is one container of urgent significance for its buyer in the Persian Gulf. And back in Washington, D.C., the owner of a Lebanese restaurant a stone's throw from the White House finds a cryptic message in the Drafts folder of his e-mail inbox. It's one week before Independence Day, and an unpopular president is preparing to host America's biggest celebration in years. There's just one small problem: he's not the only one with plans for the holiday. With the woman he loves sick and close to death, Cole puts his own life on the line in a race against time to discover the truth behind the outbreak's origin--a truth that will link it to one of humanity's most ancient plagues and threaten the very heart of America. This is how it happened.

The Human Genome Project, an endeavor to map and sequence the entire human genome, has been in existence for almost seven years. One result of this effort has been the development of increasingly detailed genetic and physical maps spanning large regions of virtually every chromosome. Paralleling this has been the increasingly high resolution mapping of many &wnetic diseases. Together, these developments have facilitated the isolation of specific disease genes and are now motivating the construction of comprehensive transcriptional maps. This latter endeavor represents a new facet of the genome project, and as such requires the recognition and solution of a new set of problems, with the attendant development and application of a new set of techniques. The First International Workshop on the Identification of Transcribed Sequences in the Human Genome was held in 1991 and was attended by 23 investigators. Discussions at this meeting were largely devoted to defining the magnitude of the problem and describing the available techniques. A small number of laboratories reported the development of new techniques (at that time, for example, exon trapping, cDNA hybrid selection, direct cDNA screening, use of splice junction conserved sequences,etc.), but data were too limited to permit comparisons of their relative efficiencies.

This new volume of Methods in Enzymology continues the legacy of this premier serial by containing quality chapters authored by leaders in the field. This volume covers methods in protein design and it has chapters on such topics as protein switch engineering by domain insertion, evolution based design of proteins, and computationally designed proteins. - Continues the legacy of this premier serial with quality chapters authored by leaders in the field - Covers methods in protein design - Contains chapters with such topics as protein switch engineering by domain insertion, evolution-based design of proteins, and computationally designed proteins

Designed for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and environmental professionals, this book builds upon the tremendous success of the previous editions with a comprehensive and up-to-date discussion of environmental microbiology as a discipline that has greatly expanded in scope and interest over the past several decades. From terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to urban and indoor environments, this edition relates environmental microbiology to a variety of life science, ecology, and environmental science topics including biogeochemical cycling, bioremediation, environmental transmission of pathogens, microbial risk assessment, and drinking water treatment and reuse. The final chapter highlights several emerging issues including microbial remediation of marine oil spills, microbial contributions to global warming, impact of climate change on microbial infectious disease, and the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. - Presents state-of-the-art research results with key, recent references to document information - Emphasizes critical information using "Information Boxes" throughout - Includes real-world case studies to illustrate concepts, along with frequent use of graphics, cartoons and photographs - Offers questions at the end of each chapter designed to test key concepts - Lecture slides available for instructors online

Effectively perform today’s most state-of-the-art neurosurgical procedures with Youmans Neurological Surgery, 6th Edition, edited by H. Richard Winn, MD. Still the cornerstone of unquestioned guidance on surgery of the nervous system, the new edition updates you on the most exciting developments in this ever-changing field. In print and online, it provides all the cutting-edge details you need to know about functional and restorative neurosurgery (FRN)/deep brain stimulation (DBS), stem cell biology, radiological and nuclear imaging, neuro-oncology, and much more. And with nearly 100 intraoperative videos online at www.expertconsult.com, as well as thousands of full-color illustrations, this comprehensive, multimedia, 4-volume set remains the clinical neurosurgery reference you need to manage and avoid complications, overcome challenges, and maximize patient outcomes. Overcome any clinical challenge with this comprehensive and up-to-date neurosurgical reference, and ensure the best outcomes for your patients. Rely on this single source for convenient access to the definitive answers you need in your practice. Successfully perform functional and restorative neurosurgery (FRN) with expert guidance on the diagnostic aspects, medical therapy, and cutting-edge approaches shown effective in the treatment of tremor, Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and psychiatric disorders. Sharpen your neurosurgical expertise with updated and enhanced coverage of complication avoidance and intracranial pressure monitoring, epilepsy, neuro-oncology, pain, peripheral nerve surgery, radiosurgery/radiation therapy, and much more. Master new techniques with nearly 100 surgical videos online of intraoperative procedures including endoscopic techniques for spine and peripheral nerve surgery, the surgical resection for spinal cord hemangiomas, the resection of a giant AVM; and the radiosurgical and interventional therapy for vascular lesions and tumors. Confidently perform surgical techniques with access to full-color anatomic and surgical line drawings in this totally revised illustration program. Get fresh perspectives from new section editors and authors who are all respected international authorities in their respective neurosurgery specialties. Conveniently search the complete text online, view all of the videos, follow links to PubMed, and download all images at www.expertconsult.com.

This book brings together recent, international contributions to the study of gluten proteins from leading experts in the field. Gluten proteins have gained greater importance due not only to their fundamental role in determining technological quality of wheat end products, but also to the apparently increased number of people showing different degrees of gluten intolerance or allergy. Along with classical subjects such as gluten genetics, quality and rheology, The Gluten Proteins covers new tools and research fields, including the use of proteomics and genomics. Furthermore, information dedicated to intolerances and allergies is included and opens the possibility to widen future research opportunities, promoting cooperation between wheat breeders, medical researchers and gluten chemists and geneticists. The Gluten Proteins provides an authoritative source of information for researchers, professionals and postgraduate students wishing to increase their knowledge of the molecular bases of gluten functionality and nutritional role, as well as touching on possible future research opportunities.

The influence of the gut microbiome on human health and disease has been established in recent years through advances in high-throughput DNA sequencing. The Gut Microbiome: Bench to Table presents a scientific introduction to this topic, analyzes research on how the microbiome is affected by nutrients, and how dietary modifications can alter the microbiome. The Gut Microbiome: Bench to Table is divided into three sections. The first section details the current state of laboratory-scale analysis of gut microbiome samples and how we can identify the communities and their functional repertoire. Section II explains the next phase of translational research models such as preclinical, animal studies, proof of concept safety, and efficacy human trials. The third section demonstrates the effectiveness of therapeutic treatments in larger populations. It addresses how diet influences the gut microbiome and presents an array of approaches that have been reported, including a discussion of issues of the safety of probiotics and selected supplements and micronutrients. This book is essential for clinicians, dietitians and food and nutrition professionals who wish to have the most up-to-date knowledge on food sciences.

Venom research and technology has advanced greatly, rapidly transforming our knowledge of reptile venoms. Research advances, like the development of molecular systematics, provide the framework necessary to reconstruct the evolutionary history of glands and fangs. Such research developments have expanded our understanding of venom's evolution and its usefulness in therapeutic development. The results of this punctuated toxin molecular evolutionary expansion include protein neofunctionalization. While these changes may impact antivenom efficacy, this molecular diversity also facilitates their usefulness in the development of novel drug therapies. Venomous Reptiles And Their Toxins brings together the world's leading toxinologists in this comprehensive study of the entire scope of reptile venoms, from clinical effects to evolution to drug design and development. The book contains detailed applied chapters on clinical care of the envenomed patient, ineffective traditional or modern remedies, occupational considerations involved in the maintenance of institutional venomous reptile collections, veterinary care for venomous reptiles and research methods used in venom research. This book also devotes a chapter to each toxin class found in reptile venoms, detailing the full trajectory of research on the peptide or protein in question. These chapters discuss each toxin's respective role in the envenomation process through to how each has been explored for their biomedical potential. This book is a unique resource for anyone working with venomous reptiles.