Transgressing Women focuses on the literary and cinematic representation of female characters in contemporary noir thrillers. The book argues that as the genre has grown, expanded and been subverted since its initial conception, along with the changing definition of gender, the representation of a female character has also inevitably gone through some dramatic changes. So, the book asks some important questions: What links the female characters in canonical noir to their contemporary counterparts? Is gender division still relevant in a text that transgresses gender boundaries? What happens when it is the human body itself that betrays the traditional definition or constitution of a human being? While many have written about the male protagonists and the femmes fatales in the noir genre, little attention has been given to the ‘other’ female characters who inhabit the noir world and are transgressors themselves. The main concern of the book is to trace the transgressive female characters in contemporary noir thrillers – both novels and films – by engaging itself with some of the most topical debates within both (post)feminist and postmodernist theories. The book is structured around two key concepts – space and the body. These temporal and spatial indicators are central in contemporary cultural theories such as postmodernism and post-feminism, along with other theorizations of gender and the noir genre. This means that the analysis is drawn from the classical noir examples and will then arrive at the neo-noir sub-genre, and then will move on to the most recent phenomenon in the genre, ‘future noir’.

This book covers contact lenses from its origin and history, integrated with research, industrial, and consumer perspectives. Readers will be able to acquire knowledge on the origin of contact lenses up to the evolution of basis material used for contact lens manufacturing. In terms of research perspectives, major material properties of contact lens, together with the compilation of studies for contact lens properties that had been done so far, will be served in this book, which is beneficial to the researchers. For industrial perspectives, commercialization of contact lenses will be discussed, including the steps in manufacturing contact lenses and other aspects in the industry including the latest challenges, development, and improvement in contact lens. Moreover, this book gives exposure on the type of contact lens that is available in the market and some useful guidelines for contact lens users.

Fast growing human civilization and industrialization have resulted in increased amounts of pollutants such as pesticides, electronic wastes, etc. in the environment. These pollutants have hazardous impacts on living organisms including human health. Remediation of these contaminants is a serious environmental issue of current interest. Recent research has shown that soil microorganisms play an important role in remediating and improving disturbed ecosystems. This approach is eco-friendly and relatively less expensive. The investigations carried out using microbes for restoration of degraded eco-systems is covered in the proposed book.

This book endeavors to explore the role of different groups of microbes in the biodiversity enrichment, forest productivity, land restoration, agricultural productivity and green technology. In this book emphasis is mainly given on mutualistic interactions especially on plant Mycorrhizae and Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR).

WINNER OF THE RAKUTEN KOBO EMERGING WRITER PRIZE FOR LITERARY FICTION In this novel about peace in a time of war, debut author Jamaluddin Aram masterfully breathes life into the colourful characters of the town of Wazirabad, in early 1990s Kabul, Afghanistan. It is the early 1990s, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Russian occupation has ended, and civil war has broken out, but life roars on in full force in the working-class town of Wazirabad. A rash of burglaries has stolen people’s sleep. Fifteen-year-old Aziz awakens from a dark dream that prompts him to plant shards of glass along the wall surrounding his house to protect his family against theft. Aziz’s sister, Seema, decorates kites with her calligraphy and sells fresh scorpions to spare her mother from servicing the local soldiers. Along the main street, three militiamen wait for the fighting to resume, while the Baker, the Watchmaker, the Tailor, and the Vegetable Seller make their modest living and the Bonesetter reads poetry to his cat. And every day at noon, a flaming red rooster walks three blocks to visit his favourite hens. But tensions rise among the town’s people. The burglaries have put everyone on edge. The militiamen are on the hunt for the thief who stole their dog—and their ammunition. And a widow, who is the target of men’s lust and women’s scorn, soon finds herself on the periphery of a terrible violence. While the armed conflict rages on in the background, rumours swirl with a feverish frenzy, culminating in the collective chorus of the town’s living, breathing dreams. In this brilliantly kaleidoscopic, darkly funny, and wholly captivating novel about peace in a time of war, Jamaluddin Aram breathes life into the families and friends, lovers and loners, neighbours and sworn enemies who wander the winding alleys of Wazirabad.

It is predicted that the world population will reach about 9.7 billion by the year 2050 and to feed this population the food production has to be increased proportionately. Further we are all concerned about climate which in turn results in abiotic stresses like drought, salinity, etc. These abiotic stresses will seriously affect crop productivity. This approach has gained popularity in the recent years and seems to be a potential option for the future. The present book brings out the role of different groups of microorganisms in alleviating abiotic stress in crop plants.

The text book of Microbiology as taught in different courses in various universities. It has been divided in five sections. The students of microbiology at present are required to consult a large number of books to grapple with the subject and, therefore, the form and details of this book have been given in order to give them basic understanding of the subject.Sections I deals with the history of microbiology, taxonomy, morphology and reproduction of micro-organisms, wherein, a brief account of eukaryotic microorganism is also discussed. Section II covers physiology wherein, a basic account of biochemistry and details of enzyme and metabolic processes in microorganisms is included. Further, certain techniques namely, ELISA and SDGC are also described. Section III deals with microbial genetics. Chapter 14 of this section starts with the basic terms used in genetics & description of nucleic acid. Besides microbial genetics transposable elements and transposition have been given. It also covers molecular biolo. Section IV deals with Applied Microbiology. Human and Plant Diseases have been covered. Detailed account of Immunology, Soil Microbiology, and Indus-trial Microbiology has been included. Geomicrobiology has been treated specially in a chapter separately devoted to it. Section V covers techniques wherein, various types of microscopy, instrumentation and cultural techniques are given. The students of microbiology at present are required to consult a large number of books to grapple with the subject and, therefore, the form and details of this book have been given in order to give them basic understanding of the subject.

The present book has great Mycological significance and will update the knowledge of Resupinate Aphyllophorales of Maharashtra, which presently lacks in the scenario of Indian Mycology. This book will be of immense help for further studies and investiga-tions. Taking into consideration the taxonomic study of Wood Rotting Fungi, this kind of approach is studied for the first time for understanding thoroughly the compilation of the Resupinate Aphyllophorales from a particular region. This book will facilitate further understanding of important pathogens from the vegetation of Maharashtra. The major work deals with the species studied from the family Corticiaceae with non-poroid hymenium; Polyporaceae and Hymenochaetaceae with poroid hymenium. Main aim is to provide an entry point for the students in to the World of Aphyllophorales. The book is supplemented with an index of genera, index of hosts/ substrata along with fungi recorded thereon and the list of references. Through this book readers are going to get a comprehensive guide of Resupinate Aphyllophorales. The present book would prove useful to Mycologist, Plant pathologists, Plant Biotechnologists and also to research students and teachers alike in the disciplines of Mycology and Plant Pathology.