The liver is a vital organ involved in numerous metabolic processes such as cholesterol and bile acid metabolism, biliary lipid secretion, and bile formation. Cholesterol balance across the liver has a crucial effect on influencing plasma total and LDL cholesterol levels and biliary cholesterol concentrations. Cholesterol and bile acid biosyntheses are primarily modulated by negative feedback regulatory mechanisms through the sterol regulatory element-binding protein isoform 2 (SREBP-2) and the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) pathways, respectively. The conversion of cholesterol to bile acids in the liver can balance the fecal excretion of bile acids, which is an important route for the removal of cholesterol from the body. Bile formation begins in the bile canaliculi, and maintenance of the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids results in a continuous secretion of bile. Hepatic secretion of biliary lipids is determined mainly by a group of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters that are located on the canalicular membrane of hepatocytes, which are regulated by various nuclear receptors. Bile acids promote bile flow by their osmotic effects. Also, they are essential for the intestinal absorption of cholesterol, fatty acids, and fat-soluble vitamins and play an important role in aiding the digestion of dietary fat. Bile acids function as signaling molecules and anti-inflammatory agents to regulate lipid, glucose, and energy metabolism by rapidly activating nuclear receptors and cell signaling pathways. This eBook summarizes the progress in the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cholesterol and bile acid metabolism and the physical-chemistry of biliary lipids, with emphasis on biliary lipid metabolism that is regulated by nuclear receptors in the hepatobiliary system.

"I was first drawn to working in oncology while I was a student nurse at St Thomas' Hospital in London. There I met a woman who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and showed such strength and fortitude in the face of her diagnosis that it left a strong impression on me."She said that, despite all the information that had been provided by the professionals and the internet, she would love to be able to dip in and out of a book that had useful advice for newly diagnosed patients, based on the experiences of other patients. The idea for this book was born."I decided to pursue this and canvassed the opinions of other patients, asking if they felt having such information available in this format would have been beneficial. The response was very positive and so I set about compiling and distributing a questionnaire to both NHS and private patients."Written by patients to help others learn from their experiences, compiled by Alison Bailey, a Breast Care Specialist Nurse

'Light' from low level laser therapy, through a process called photobiomodulation (PBM), has been in existence in supportive care in cancer, in particular in the management of oral mucositis (OM) in patients undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In this book the authors attempt to portray the current status of the supportive care interventions that are possible with PBM using low level laser therapy (LLLT) in patients undergoing cancer treatment for solid tumours, harmatological malignancies, and head and neck cancers.