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Infectious Diseases and Substance Abuse
The influence of many drugs of abuse - licit and illicit - on immune function has been examined extensively over the years. This volume, part of the "Infectious Agents and Pathogenesis" series, examines a variety of drugs of abuse and how they affect the immune system
In Vivo Models of Inflammation ; Vol. I
In Vivo Models of Inflammation (Vol. 1) provides biomedical researchers in both the pharmaceutical industry and academia with a description of the state-of-the-art animal model systems used to emulate diseases with components of inflammation.
In vivo Models of HIV Disease and Control
An AIDS vaccine is still elusive and HIV treatment continues to develop multidrug resistance at alarming rates. Because of the similarities between HIV and immune deficiency infections in a variety of animals, it is only natural that scientists use these animals as models to study pathogenesis, treatment, vaccine development and many other aspects of HIV. Part of the series Infectious Agents and Pathogenesis, this volume reviews the immune deficiency virus in a variety of hosts. Pathogenesis, vaccine and drug development, epidemiology, and the natural history of the monkey, mouse, cat, cow, horse, and other animal viruses are detailed and compared to HIV. Also included are chapters on the history and future of animal models, as well as a chapter on ethical and safety considerations in using animal models for AIDS studies.
Impact of Institutions on Lending : Informal Constraints and Enforcement of Bank Regulation in Mongolia
Chuluunbaatar Enkhzaya examines the "inadequate" behaviour of banks in Mongolia by analysing the institutional framework of the banking system, especially in lending. She focuses on the genesis of informal institutions of lending and their interaction with formal institutions of lending. Herewith, informal institutions such as the attitude to risk were indirectly observed by diagnosing the "action-regulating" knowledge of bankers. In order to ensure an effective allocation of the scarce financial resources of Mongolia the author therefore suggests a change - as simultaneous as possible - of formal and informal rules.
Immunology of fungal infections
Covers all aspects of the immunology of fungal infection. Beyond the basics, coverage includes recent developments in innate and adaptive immunological mechanisms involved in the host response to fungal infection.
Immunology and Immunopathogenesis of Malaria
This collection of reviews addresses many of these important issues of malarial immunity and immunopathology. They are of interest not only to malariologists, but hopefully also to the broader immunological community. Strong interactions with, and feedback from immunologists working in other infectious diseases and in basic immunology will help us to move the field of malaria immunology and therapeutic intervention forward more quickly.
Immunoinformatics
Immunoinformatics is an emerging subdiscipline of bioinformatics. It utilizes mathematics, information science, computer engineering, genomics, proteomics and immunological methods to bridge immunology and informatics. Similar to bioionformatics which became a driving force in genome research, immunoinformatics enables data-driven research strategies and systems approaches that aim at understanding the networks regulating the immune system. Considering the breath of topic, Immunoinformatics was composed to provide a cross-section of research ranging from data integration, epitope predictions to systems level applications. In ten chapters experts in the field introduce and discuss research strategies for immunologists and bioinformaticians who wish to endeavour existing and new approaches to gain insight into the workings of the immune system.
Immunogenetics of Autoimmune Disease
Utoimmunity is the downstream outcome of a rather extensive and coordinated series of events that include loss of self-tolerance, peripheral lymphocyte Aactivation, disruption of the blood-systems barriers, cellular infiltration into the target organs and local inflammation. Cytokines, adhesion molecules, growth factors, antibodies, and other molecules induce and regulate critical cell functions that perpetuate inflammation, leading to tissue injury and clinical phenotype. The nature and intensity of this response as well as the physiological ability to restore homeostasis are to a large extent conditioned by the unique amino acid sequences that define allelic variants on each of the numerous participating mol ecules. Therefore, the coding genes in their germline configuration play a primary role in determining who is at risk for developing such disorders, how the disease progresses, and how someone responds to therapy. Although genetic components in these diseases are clearly present, the lack of obvious and homogeneous modes of transmission has slowed progress by prevent ing the full exploitation of classical genetic epidemiologic techniques. Furthermore, autoimmune diseases are characterized by modest disease risk heritability and m- tifaceted interactions with environmental influences. Yet, several recent discoveries have dramatically changed our ability to examine genetic variation as it relates to human disease. In addition to the development of large-scale laboratory methods and tools to efficiently recognize and catalog DNA diversity, over the past few years there has been real progress in the application of new analytical and data-manage ment approaches
Immune Mechanisms in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Immune Mechanisms in Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a highly, concise update of the most recent advances in the immunobiology, genetics and microbiology related to Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This book broadly treats the topics that lead to understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease in an organized, systematic approach.
Immobilisation of DNA on Chips II
DNA chips are gaining increasing importance in different fields ranging from medicine to analytical chemistry with applications in the latter in food safety and food quality issues as well as in environmental protection. In the medical field, DNA chips are frequently used in arrays for gene expression studies to identify diseased cells due to over- or under-expression of certain genes, to follow the response of drug treatments, or to grade cancers), for genotyping of individuals, for the detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms, point mutations, and short tandem reports, or moreover for genome and transcriptome analyses in the quasi post-genomic sequencing era. Furthermore, due to some unique properties of DNA molecules, self-assembled layers of DNA are promising candidates in the field of molecular electronics.the main focus of these two volumes is on the immobilization chemistry, considering the various aspects of the immobilization process itself, since different types of nucleic acids, support materials, surface activation chemistries and patterning tools are of key concern.
Immediate Early Genes in Sensory Processing, Cognitive Performance and Neurological Disorders
This book reviews and details experiments and theories that challenge the reader to expand their view on how IEG research is currently being used to advance our understanding of static and active brain circuits, enabling the processing, acquisition and storage of new information in healthy systems. In addition, we explore roles of IEGs in clinical neuropathology, with potential utility in molecular modeling, to highlight, on a go-forward basis, candidate mechanisms for novel targets in clinical intervention.
Hyperthermia In Cancer Treatment : A Primer
Following an introductory overview, Hyperthermia In Cancer Treatment: A Primer comprehensively describes the biological reasons for associating hyperthermia with radiation and chemotherapy and the biological and clinical effects of hyperthermia on cancerous and normal tissues. The volume’s 20 chapters are arranged in three principal parts: physical and methodological studies, biologic principles, and clinical studies.
Hydrogenosomes and Mitosomes : Mitochondria of Anaerobic Eukaryotes
"Hydrogenosomes and Mitosomes: Mitochondria of Anaerobic Eukaryotes" provides a summary of the current knowledge of these organelles, which occur in unicellular, often parasitic organisms, including human pathogens. The distribution of these organelles is broad, but they were detected primarily in an anoxic habitat or nutrient rich intracellular niche that permits life without the efficient energy generating system of typical mitochondria. Their common characteristic is that they lack the aerobic energy conservation system of typical mitochondria and that they are usually the site of the synthesis of iron-sulfur clusters, regarded as the only indispensable function of eukaryotic mitochondria.These mitochondria-related organelles exhibit a variety of structures and functions. This work describes properties such as protein import, structure, metabolism, adaptation, proteome and their role in drug activation and resistance. Further topics include the evolution and biogenesis of these organelles.
Human fungal diseases : Diagnostics, pathogenesis, drug resistance and therapeutics
Reviews the latest advancements in the fungal infections and their impact on human health. It presents epidemiology, diagnosis, pathogenesis, risk factors, virulence mechanisms, treatment, and strategies for the disease management and prevention of fungal infections. The book further reviews host-pathogen interactions, biofilm formation, and quorum sensing. It also covers the clinical manifestations, diagnostic approaches, and management strategies of opportunistic fungal infections, emerging fungal infections, and allergic fungal infections. It presents the latest advancements in diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies, covering both conventional techniques and state-of-the-art approaches. Further, the book elucidates antifungal stewardship, nanotechnology, and omics technologies, providing insights into cutting-edge strategies for prevention, control, and management of multidrug-resistant fungi. This book is useful for researchers, students, and health professionals working in the fields of mycology, infectious diseases, immunology, dermatology, and pulmonology.
Human Cytomegalovirus
The golden age of cytomegalovirus research was ushered in during the late 1970s and early 1980s by a set of powerful new technologies that included restriction enzymes, DNA cloning, DNA sequencing, and open reading frame prediction. The genetic manipulation and propagation of novel CMV strains was accelerated with the app- cation of bacterial artificial chromosome technology. Today, we still struggle to understand the full spectrum of disease associated with human CMV. To the molecular biologist, CMV is a master of regulation in the eukaryotic cell where it either replicates or remains latent. To the immunologist, CMV is a master of immune evasion with tools to escape both the innate and acquired immune responses. The use of animal models with non-human CMVs has become significantly more sophisticated and tied to a more certain understanding of the interrelationships of non-human and human CMV genes.
Hox Gene Expression
The study of Hox genes is crucial not only in exploring the enigma of homeosis but also in understanding normal development at the fundamental molecular level. "Hox Gene Expression" starts with the amazing discovery of the homeobox twenty-three years ago and follows the exciting path thereafter of a series of breakthroughs in Genetics, Development and Evolution. It deals with homeotic genes- their evolution, structure, normal and abnormal function. Researchers and graduate students in Biology and Medicine will benefit from this integrated overview of Hox gene activities.
Hormones and the brain
Peripheral hormones have a major impact on the brain: they are able to interfere with its development, to affect release of neurotransmitters and concentrations of receptors, to trigger growth factors involved in lesion repair. These multiple actions account for their capacity to modulate a number of physiological parameters, from reproductive functions to memory, behaviour and aging. Depending upon intensity and duration of exposure, they can be either neuroprotective or neurotoxic, for instance by affecting production of free radicals. This book, based on contributions of pioneer investigators in the field, outlines the ambiguous actions of gonadal steroids (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, inhibin and activin) and of neurosteroids, related moieties produced in the brain itself. After summarizing their multiple mechanisms of action, which involve both direct effects on neuronal membranes and activation of genes coding for specific proteins in neurons or glial cells, the book outlines the role of hormones in pathogenic processes such as mental disturbances or neurodegenerative diseases.
Hormonal carcinogenesis V
Information gathered from cell-free systems, cell cultures, animal models, and human studies, together will (1) provide important insights to our understanding of hormonal cancer causation, development, and prevention; (2) be the primary objective of these Symposia.
Hormonal Carcinogenesis IV
Uniquely, Hormonal Carcinogenesis IV, integrates salient aspects of hormone-related cancers of interest to epidemiologists, basic researchers, and clinicians. The most recent advances in the major hormone-related cancers are presented by leaders of their specialty. The chapters in this volume deal with the causation, dependence, and resistance of endocrine-related cancers with particular emphasis on the most common neoplasms occuring in men and woman world wide, such as breast, prostate, uterine, and ovarian cancers.
Homocysteine
Homocysteine is a non-proteinogenic α-amino acid. It is a homologue of the amino acid cysteine, differing by an additional methylene bridge (-CH2-). It is biosynthesized from methionine by the removal of its terminal methyl group. In the body, Homocysteine (HCY) can be recycled into methionine or converted into cysteine with the aid of certain B-vitamins. A high level of Homocysteine in the blood (hyperhomocysteinemia) makes a person more prone to endothelial cell injury, which leads to inflammation in the blood vessels, which in turn may lead to atherogenesis, which can result in ischemic injury. Therefore, hyperhomocysteinemia is a possible risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary artery disease occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque blocks blood flow to the coronary arteries, which supply the heart with oxygenated blood.
