Gary Wobeser's successful book from 1994 has been completely updated and enlarged in a new second edition. An in-depth overview of the available techniques for the investigation and management of disease in free-ranging animals is provided. The subjects are illustrated with examples drawn from around the world, with emphasis on the special requirements involved in working with wild animals. The book draws on the author 's training as a wildlife biologist.

This book offers an unparalleled source of information on in vivo assessment of nanoparticle toxicity by using Drosophila as a model organism. Nanoparticles have emerged as an useful tool for wide variety of biomedical, cosmetics, and industrial applications. However, our understanding of nanomaterial-mediated toxicity under in vivo condition remains limited. The book begins with a chapter on synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles used for various biological, medical and commercial purposes. The rest of the chapters deal with the impact of nanoparticles on different biological aspects like behavior, physiology and metabolic homoeostasis using Drosophila as a model organism. Lastly, the book summarizes how proper characterization and evaluation of safe dosage of nanoparticles can be a boon if incorporated in consumer goods and for biomedical applications. Overall, the book pursues an interdisciplinary approach by connecting nanotechnology and biology from various angles using Drosophila as a model system, so as to develop more efficient, safe and effective use of nanoparticles for human beings.

This completey revised and updated edition of Bacterial Fish Pathogens is a comprehensive discussion of the biological aspects of the bacterial taxa which cause disease in fish. Since the 3rd edition was published in 1999, much has changed in the control of disease of farmes and wild fish. New pathogens such as Pasteurella skyensis have been described, and antimicrobial compounds for the control of disease have been replaced by alternative methods, such as probiotics. Consideration is given to all the bacterial taxa which have at some time been reported as fish pathogens, whether they are secondary invaders of already damaged tissues or serious, primary pathogens.

Principles of Insect Pathology, a text written from a pathological viewpoint, is intended for graduate-level students and researchers with a limited background in microbiology and in insect diseases. The book explains the importance of insect diseases and illuminates the complexity and diversity of insect-microbe relationships. Separate sections are devoted to the major insect pathogens, their characteristics, and their life cycles the homology that exists among invertebrate, vertebrate, and plant pathogens the humoral and cellular defense systems of the host insect as well as the evasive and suppressive activities of insect disease agents the structure and function of passive barriers the heterogeneity in host susceptibility to insect diseases and associated toxins the mechanisms regulating the spread and persistence of diseases in insects. Principles of Insect Pathology combines the disciplines of microbiology (virology, bacteriology, mycology, protozoology), pathology, and immunology within the context of the insect host, providing a format which is understandable to entomologists, microbiologists, and comparative pathologists.

As the drug discovery process shifts more and more toward specifically targeting pathways and molecules, model systems continue to increase in importance, and the mouse, with its versatility, ease of use, and remarkable similarity to the human genome, has clearly risen to the forefront of animal model studies. In Mouse Models for Drug Discovery: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field present some background for those less familiar with mice as experimental model platforms as well as a collection of techniques involving general methods as well as specific disease topics such as type 1 and 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, skin disorders, cancer, the use of behavioral models for depression and anxiety, neurodegenerative diseases, neuromuscular diseases, and infectious diseases. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and easy-to-use, Mouse Models for Drug Discovery: Methods and Protocols will stimulate those not familiar with the power of the mouse and its potential for the drug discovery process, and it will encourage the development of new models and new ways to utilize existing models in order to further the use of this dynamic animal in this vital field."

Coral reefs are the most spectacular and diverse ecosystems in the marine environment. Over the last decades, however, dramatic declines of coral reef communities have been observed. Corals are endangered due to natural and anthropogenic detrimental factors, such as global warming and environmental pollution.

Based on an international meeting on "Coral Health and Disease" in Eilat, Israel in April 2003, the book starts with case studies of reefs, e.g. the Red Sea, Caribbean, Japan, Indian Ocean and the Great Barrier Reef. The second part on microbial ecology and physiology describes the symbiotic relations of corals and microbes, and the microbial role in nutrition or bleaching resistance of corals. Particular coral diseases such as aspergillosis, white pox, black and white band diseases are treated in the third part. Finally, various hypotheses of the mechanisms of coral bleaching, including a projection of the future of coral reefs, are discussed.

Originally published in 1976, this volume reports research that will help us to understand the causes of psychogenic diseases. It deals both experimentally and theoretically with the question of symptom specificity in psychosomatic research - why some individuals respond to psychological stress with gastric disorders, others with sexual impotence, and still others with high blood pressure. As the author notes in summarizing his conclusions, "The repeated pairing of activation of a given organic system with intense nervous stress directs the pathological influence of the stressor primarily upon the system activated; subsequently the natural stimuli which would ordinarily activate the system in a normal manner sustain the pathological stressor's effect as a conditioned stimulus for the stressor effect." The translation of this work from the original Russian brings to the attention of Western investigators new and useful models of stress-induced disorders, and sheds new light on the pervasive problem of psychosomatic disease.

Cell culture based research is important for our understanding of biological processes at the cellular and molecular level. Using this approach, the previous decades have produced a wealth of mechanistic information in all areas of biomedical research. Such in vitro research, however, lacks the complexity of in vivo investigations, where many different cell types interact with each other in a normal, three-dimensional environment, with normal levels of cytokines and growth factors. Furthermore, complex human diseases, such as cancer, diabetes or chronic inflammation, can only be modeled in vivo. Due to its small size, its short reproduction time, and the possibility to introduce specific gene mutations, the mouse has become the favourite mammalian model organism to study in vivo function of genes during development and in disease. This book combines review articles on selected subjects presented at the symposium "Mouse as a Model Organism - From Animals to Cells", held in Rovaniemi, Finland, 2009. Among other topics, high-throughput phenotyping of mouse mutants, mouse phenotypes dependent on nature and nuture, and a spectrum of in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro methods to study cancer in mice are described. This book will give an excellent introduction to scientists interested in the use of mice as a model to understand complex biological questions in the post-genomic era. It will highlight the possibilities, but also discuss the current problems and shortcomings, to give a realistic view of the current state-of-art in this fascinating field of biomedical research.

The international advanced research workshop funded by NATO and entitled "impact of pollutions on animal and animal products" was organized at Almaty (Kazakhstan) on 27-30 September 2007. Thirty-one scientists from 12 countries (Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, Romania and Morocco) presented conferences at this meeting to share their experience and results. The programme included three main aspects: (i) generality on the pollution situation in Central Asia and former Soviet Union republics, (ii) the pollution area and pollution origin in Central Asia and Western countries in relation with animal health, and (iii) the relationships between soil contamination, plant contamination and animal products status. The present workshop contributed highly to the exchange between scientists giving the opportunity for researchers from Central Asia to access to new scientific approaches and methodologies, and for European scientists to assess the extent of the environmental problems in this part of the world. No doubt that these exchanges were the main success of the workshop marked by very stimulating discussions. Such meeting was also the opportunity to put on the first stone of a scientific network focused on the subject of the workshop. The importance of pollution in Central Asia in general and in Kazakhstan in p- ticular is a well-known feature and several references are available on the source and localization of pollution problems in those countries. The references are also abundant on the impact of the environmental failures on human health.

This book describes experimental animal models that mimic common human ocular diseases: herpetic keratitis, cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, retinitis pigmentosa, Graves' disease, and intraocular tumors. In conjunction, these models reflect the diversity and utility of tools used to study human disease. World expert clinicians discuss each model based on their clinical experience and the text is supported by numerous photos and diagrams. In describing the most pertinent animal models of ophthalmic diseases, this book will be of interest to ophthalmologists, vision researchers, fellows, residents and medical students.

This volume provides a transdisciplinary and translational review of many of the leading murine models used to study the mechanisms, mediators and biomarkers linking energy balance to cancer. It provides a review of murine models that should be of interest to basic, clinical and applied research investigators as well as nutrition scientists and students that work in cancer prevention, cancer control and treatment. The worldwide obesity pandemic has been extensively studied by epidemiologic and observational studies and even, in some cases, by randomized controlled trials. However, the development and control of obesity, its comorbidities and its impact on cancer usually occurs over such long periods that it is difficult, if not impossible to conduct randomized controlled trials in humans to investigate environmental contributions to obesity, energy balance and their impact on cancer. In contrast, model organisms, especially mice and rats, provide valuable assets for performing these studies under rigorously controlled conditions and in sufficient numbers to provide statistically significant results. In this volume, many of the leading and new murine models used to study the mechanisms and mediators linking cancer with obesity, sleep, exercise, their modification by environment and how they may continue to be used to further elucidate these relations as well as to explore preclinical aspects of prevention and/or therapeutic intervention are considered. This volume provides an important compilation and analysis of major experimental systems and principles for further preclinical research with translational impact on energy balance and cancer.

Metastatic dissemination of cancer is a main cause of cancer related deaths, therefore biological mechanisms implicated in metastatic process presents an essential object of cancer research. This research requires creation and utilization of adequate laboratory models. The book describes main approaches to model processes of metastatic cancer dissemination and metastases development. The book is structured in according with various metastatic pathways reflecting molecular specificity of metastatic process as well as anatomical specificity of aria of dissemination. Each chapter is introduced by short discussion of clinical aspects of certain metastatic pathway. Especial attention is paid for methods of visualization, quantification and analysis of the modeled metastases. Additional chapter is devoted to methods of mathematic modeling of tumor spread. The data presented in the book may be helpful for cancer researchers and oncologists.

WEGENER'S GRANULOMATOSIS & ANCA-ASSOCIATED DISEASES: THE STORY CONTINUES The disease now designated as Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) was first described in 1931 by Heinz Klinger, who considered it to be a special form of polyarteritis nodosa. Klinger's friend, Friedrich Wegener, expanded on the first observations and interpreted the pathological and clinical fmdings to represent a distinct disease entity (Wegener, 1939). He described this entity as a "peculiar rhinogenous granulomatosis with a unique participation of the arterial system and the kidneys". Later, Godman and Churg (1954) established the classical diagnostic criteria (the "WG triad"): granuloma, vasculitis, and glomerulonephritis. In 1958 Walton pointed out the poor prognosis of WG based on a small number of published cases (mean survival time: 5 months). In 1966 Carrington and Liebow reported "limited forms" of WG with a defmitely more favorable prognosis. Since then positive results have been reported with cyclophosphamide therapy. In addition, a retrospective study of combined low-dose cyclophosphamide and prednisolone in 85 WG patients over a period of 21 years found a similarly encouraging outcome. The*latter experience led to the current "standard" treatment protocol (FAUCI et al. , 1973 and 1983). More recently, strong evidence has emerged that some of the morbidity and mortality ofWG - and other types of systemic vasculitis - may be a consequence of this treatment (Hoffman et al. , 1992).

This series presents reviews covering all aspects of haemodynamics and haemorheology. Topics covered include the complexities of microcirculation, the rheology of blood and blood vessels, and the mechanics of blood flow in arteries and veins. The contributions aim to reflect the advances being made in experimental techniques and instrumentation for laboratory and clinical measurements and in numerical and mathematical modelling. Emphasis is placed on the scientific and engineering principles involved, but particular attention is also given to the clinical significance of this area of research. Topics covered by this volume include viscoelastic properties of blood and blood analogues; blood flow through narrow tubes; and numerical modelling of blood flow.

The ovary is a suitable organ for studying the processes of cell death. Cell death was first described in the rabbit ovary (Graaffian follicles), the phenomenon being called 'chromatolysis'. To date, it is recognized that various forms of cell death (programmed cell death, apoptosis and autophagy) are essential components of ovarian development and function. Programmed cell death is responsable for the ovarian endowment of primordial follicles around birth; in the prepuberal and adult period, apoptosis is a basic mechanism by which oocytes are eliminated by cancer therapies and environmental toxicants; in the ovarian cycle, follicular atresia and luteal regression involve follicular cell apoptosis. Finally, abnormalities in cell death processes may lead to ovarian disease such as cancer and chemoresistance. In this book, after an introductory description of various forms of cell death and of the ovary development and function in mammals, the processes of cell death in ovarian somatic cells and oocytes are described at cytological, physiological and molecular levels and analyzed in the embryonic, prepuberal and adult ovary. A complex array of molecular pathways triggered by extrinsic and intrinsic signals able tor induce or suppress cell death in the same cell, according to cell type and ovary developmental stage, emerges. Physiological interactions with the axis hypothalamus-hypophysis as well as ovarian internal functional signal are also critically reviewed to explain the abortive development of follicles before the beginning of the ovarian cycle. The book conveys information useful to the updating of biologists and physicians who are interested to the ovary biology and functions. Hopefully it should provide also clues for stimulating novel experiments in the study of cell death in the mammalian ovary still at an early stage.

The study of animal viruses contributes to the general understanding of the molecular basis of viral infection. The emergence of the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus in the human population, coming from an animal source, highlights the importance of animals in harboring infectious agents. In addition, it has been recognized recently that influenza viruses, which persist in their natural avian host, can directly infect humans. In this book, an international panel of leading virologists provide a state-of-the-art overview of the field, comprehensively detailing the current understanding of viruses, their replication, evolution, and interaction with the host. The authors emphasize strategic and methodological aspects of current research, and provide key related references. Topics include foot-and-mouth disease virus, Pestivirus, Arteriviridae, Coronaviruses (including SARS), Herpesviridae, Paramyxoviridae, influenza viruses, Reoviridae, porcine circoviruses, Asfarviridae and much more.

In recent years nobody could have failed to notice the frequent and often sensati- alist media headlines warning of the latest global disease threat to humankind. But behind all the hyperbole lie real challenges related to dealing with the increasing incidence of emerging zoonotic disease events, the majority of which are thought to originate in wildlife (Jones et al. 2008). There are also many important diseases of domestic livestock which also occur in wildlife (e. g. foot and mouth disease and classical swine fever in wild boar, bovine tuberculosis in deer, badgers or possums), some of which can have a devastating impact on the farming industry, the wider rural economy and ultimately the public purse. But we should also not forget that wildlife diseases may have serious implications for the conservation of biodiversity. For some of the rarest, most endangered species (such as the Ethiopian wolf) d- ease may pose the greatest threat to their survival. If we are to avoid or reduce these impacts then we must improve our ability to detect and manage the risks associated with disease in wildlife populations. This is a challenge that will require expertise from many different disciplines: veterinary, ecological, medical, economic, poli- cal and zoological. In such an interdisciplinary field it is difficult to stay up to date with contemporary ideas and with techniques that may be rapidly evolving.

Diseases are a major threat to both wild and farmed fish. Pathogen-induced alterations in viability and growth of wild fish stocks can have implications on diversity and ecological status of aquatic ecosystems, as fish are main components of aquatic communities, and they can directly affect the exploitation of wild and farmed fish as a protein source for human consumption. Fish diseases can be a major factor influencing abundance and distribution of wild fish. Disease-related reduction of reproduction and/or age-specific survival can strongly affect wild stocks as it has been demonstrated for several species in distinct geographical locations. The book will be useful for fish farmers, managers, researchers and graduate students interested in fish diseases.

As scientific analysis of testable hypotheses has replaced the speculative approach to study of bone disease in recent and fossil amphibians and reptiles, the field has advanced from simply reporting observations to analyzing their implications. This process is predicated upon a reproducible data base which explains/diagnoses the nature of bony alterations and a secure review of the literature. Thereby hangs the rub. The herpetological literature are difficult to access (let alone read) and are scattered through many prominent and eclectic journals and in the lay literature. While older diagnoses often have not stood the test of time, the clarity of report descriptions usually allows confident identification of the underlying pathology.

The role of parasites and pathogens in the evolution of life history traits is of increasing interest to both ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Immunology, which was once studied almost exclusively by immunologists, has become an important area of proximate investigation to animal physiologists as a means for understanding changes in disease susceptibility and the neural and neuroendocrine mechanisms that mediate these changes. The coalescence of these different perspectives has given rise to the field of ecological immunology, an interdisciplinary research field that examines interactions among host physiology and disease ecology in a wide range of environmentally relevant contexts. The goal of ecological immunology is to understand immune function in the context of life-history traits across a wide range of organisms. Research within the field combines diverse approaches from a wide range of scientific disciplines including evolution, ecology, and life history theory to endocrinology, neuroscience, molecular biology, and behavior. This book critically reviews recent advances in the discipline of ecoimmunology. Chapters are written by experts in their respective fields and cover diverse topics including how environmental factors can affect host immune function, the complex dynamics among host immunity, pathogen prevalence and disease susceptibility, and the physiological mechanisms that lead to adaptive changes in immune responses. By integrating analyses of immune system function within animal biology, investigators will gain will gain a more comprehensive and satisfying understanding of organism-environment interactions at both ultimate and proximate levels of analysis.

"Mouse Genetics: Methods and Protocols" provide selected mouse genetic techniques and their application in modeling varieties of human diseases. The chapters are mainly focused on the generation of different transgenic mice to accomplish" "the manipulation of genes of interest, tracing cell lineages and modeling human diseases. Composed in the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology "series format, each chapter contains a brief introduction, a list of necessary materials, systematic, readily reproducible methods and a notes section, which shares tips on troubleshooting in order to avoid known pitfalls.

Comprehensive and authoritative, "Mouse Genetics: Methods and Protocols" promises to deliver fundamental techniques and protocols to geneticists, molecular biologists, cell and developmental biologists, students and postdoctoral fellows working in the various disciplines of mouse biology and modeling human disease.

This detailed volume provides diagnosticians and researchers with practical methodologies and approaches to tackle animal coronaviruses. It explores conventional immunohistochemistry, virus neutralization, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, expression and purification of recombinant viral proteins, and various molecular assays, including conventional and real-time reverse transcription-PCR, reverse genetics methodology, and next generation sequencing and sequence analyses. As part of the Springer Protocols Handbooks series, chapters contain readily reproducible laboratory protocols as well as expert tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Practical and authoritative, Animal Coronaviruses serves as an ideal reference for researchers examining a wide variety of coronavirus species in the Coronaviridae.

This book offers comprehensive information on the new and rapidly evolving science of identifying and targeting senescent cells, and on the exciting prospect of new diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities for stopping, and even reversing, the progression of disease and the deterioration of the human body due to ageing. According to recent United Nations data, by 2050 one in six people worldwide will be older than age 65, with peaks rising to one in four people in Europe and North America. Remarkably, the number of persons aged 80 years or older is expected to triple, from 143 million in 2019 to 426 million in 2050. First documented in the 1960s, the concept of cellular senescence as an underlying cause of ageing has been established in the course of the last decade. Using genetically engineered mouse models, researchers have demonstrated that the selective elimination of senescent cells can block and even reverse a number of age-related dysfunctions and pathologies, promoting both better health and longer life in the elderly. These include cardiovascular diseases; neurological disorders; type 1 and type 2 diabetes; inflammatory diseases; fibrosis; geriatric syndromes; chronic diseases resulting in organ dysfunction; the integrity of the musculoskeletal system; and cancer. Some senolytic agents have already progressed into trials. These include UBX0101 for the treatment of osteoarthritis (now in phase II), a cocktail of dasatinib and quercetin for the management of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and chronic kidney disease, and ABT-263 in combination with senescence-inducing chemotherapies for the treatment of advanced solid tumours. In addition, the book discusses pathways to early phase clinical trials and translational approaches in medicine and ageing, highlighting new opportunities as well as current limitations, challenges and alternatives. Given its scope, it will benefit a broad audience of advanced educators, researchers, graduate students and practitioners.

Although the available models, whether at the cellular, tissue, or animal level, do not exactly represent the biology of human brain tumors, animal models can offer significant insights into these tumors, providing a better understanding of biological mechanisms underlying tumor generation, growth, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. "Animal Models of Brain Tumors" brings together developments and discoveries in in vivo experimental tumor research that have provided advances in our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the generation, progression, and clinical outcome of brain neoplasms. Broken into convenient sections, this thorough volume includes topics such as animal model insights into human brain neoplasms, the cellular, molecular, and genetic basis of brain tumors, therapies in the treatment of malignant glioma, as well as imaging technologies in animal tumor models, i.e. measuring brain tumor growth and metabolism. Written for the popular "Neuromethods "series, chapters include the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is essential for achieving successful results.

Authoritative and cutting-edge, "Animal Models of Brain Tumors" provides the key methods needed to validate, compare, and contrast the animal model with its proposed human counterpart and further the understanding of our own serious ailments."

This volume presents techniques used by researchers from all branches of biology to study daily changes at a molecular level in many physiological systems. The chapters are organized into three parts and cover topics such as measuring and modeling physiological and behavioral rhythms; genome-wide analyses in circadian biology, and imaging and manipulating brain clocks. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and practical, Circadian Clocks: Methods and Protocols is a valuable tool for any researcher interested in learning more about this developing field.