An assessment of the Causes of Lead Pollution and the Efficiency of Bioremediation by Plants and Microorganisms

A rapid increase in mining industries associated with an increase in lead demand has resulted in the problem of lead poisoning. In this study, the initial causes of lead pollution were investigated. The results suggest that soil pollution from lead did not occur in urban and agricultural areas due to the efforts of decreased lead use and an increase in recycling; however, serious pollution locally occurred in the areas where metallurgy and mining industries were present. Therefore, remediation must be carried out in the latter areas. Next, the efficiency of lead remediation by plants and microorganisms in the areas with increased lead pollution was assessed. The plants showing high potential have been developed, and phytoextraction is a promising process. However, a more cost-effective method is necessary to achieve widespread implementation. Thus, a novel remediation method (the landfarming with immobilized microorganisms (LIM) method) to overcome the problem of cost was proposed. The LIM method combines the immobilized technique with landfarming. As the treatment period is short and the lead can readily be recycled from the soil, the LIM method may be a better alternative to phytoextraction for lead remediation

Diabetes Mellitus in South Asia

The prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus and its complications in South Asia are much higher than in other developed and developing countries; therefore, diabetes mellitus has become a serious problem in this region. While the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in South Asia is remarkable, its characteristics and causes have not been well-elucidated. More than 85% of the diabetic population in South Asia suffer from type 2 diabetes, and the causes can be divided into two categories: internal/traditional causes and causes induced by rapid development. Factors such as age, gender, diet and lifestyle changes, including a lack of physical activity caused by modernization and urbanization, are major contributory factors. The majority of the healthcare costs associated with diabetes are due to its later complications and are not preventable. Therefore, inexpensive treatment at an early stage of diabetes is important. In this review, the following are recommended as preventive measures of the incidence of the disease: (1) induction of UCP1 through the diet, (2) increasing the intake of antidiabetic bioactive components and/or food and (3) evolution of the consensus through educational programs and government policy. National strategies and interventions should be implemented immediately for both the primary and secondary prevention of diabetes mellitus and its complications in order to advocate healthy living among the South Asian populations

The Strategy and Future of Biotechnology in Protecting the Global Environment

Global warming is accelerating, and the average global temperature is projected to rise from 3.5 to 5.7°C by the end of this century. Therefore, there is a strong possibility that we will soon experience frequent global-scale abnormal weather events and severe water and food shortages. To avoid such crises, three issues must be urgently addressed: reduction of CO2 emissions, securing of energy sources that can replace fossil fuels, and securing of groundwater and food supplies. In this introductory chapter, we first discuss the development of new biotechnology processes such as CO2 sequestration by algae, biofuels, and biopolymers. Biofuels and biopolymers, in particular, will soon play an important role as alternatives to scarce fossil fuels. In addition, bioremediation technologies for widespread groundwater and soil contamination are discussed. Novel bioremediation technologies, such as gene editing and the use of artificial enzymes, have the potential to dramatically improve bioremediation throughput. This new biotechnological approach to the environment will be a decisive factor in ensuring food and beverage safety

Current Topics on Superfoods

Superfood is a food that contains active ingredients or important nutrients at extremely high levels. Protective effects of superfoods on diseases have been remarked. Recently, several foods such as camu camu, chia seeds and goji berries are well known, and their trade has been rapidly increasing in the past 10 years. The purpose of this book is the development of a novel concept of superfoods and diet-containing superfoods. In the chapters, researchers have introduced the active components of superfoods and diets using such foods. Superfoods derived from fish and by-products of beer brewing are also introduced. Moreover, the procedure of bio-accessibility is also considered. I expect that the readers understand this novel concept of superfoods