Responding to the substantial growth that has taken place in the field over the past decade, this reference provides an in-depth overview of current thought on the genetics and genomics of asthma and COPD in relation to their pathogenesis and treatment. With contributions by an esteemed team of international authorities on the topic, this source spans the latest developments in the utilization of microarray techniques, linkage and association studies, mapping strategies, comparative genetics, microarray techniques, proteomics, and pharmacogenomics.

A practical and up-to-date guide to pacemaker technology and its clinical implementation As the field of cardiology continues to advance and expand, so too does the technology and expertise behind today's electrophysiological devices. Cardiac Pacing, Defibrillation and Resynchronization has been assembled by international specialists to give all those caring for patients with heart disorders a clear and informative guide to the pacemakers and clinical methods of today. Now in its fourth edition, this essential resource: Explains different methods of pacemaker implementation in a straightforward and easy-to-follow manner Explores the most common challenges faced by working clinicians Features more than 750 illustrative graphics Contains data on the efficacy and long-term outcomes of different device models Covers new technology and clinical trial data Written for cardiologists, cardiac pacing caregivers, and those preparing to take their electrophysiology board examinations, Cardiac Pacing, Defibrillation and Resynchronization offers a complete exploration of electrophysical devices and their vital role in modern-day cardiology.

This innovative book provides a unique perspective on the biomedical and societal implications of personalized medicine and how it will help mitigate the healthcare crisis and rein in ever-growing expenditure. It introduces the reader to underlying concepts at the heart of personalized medicine - pharmacogenomics, targeted therapies and individualized diagnosis and treatment - and shows how, with the advent of genomic technologies, clinicians will have the capability to predict and diagnose disease more efficiently. Advocating a patient-centred approach at the heart of care, this introduction to personalized medicine, the science behind it, its economic effects, its effects upon patients and its overall implications for society will be invaluable to clinicians, to healthcare providers and to patients.

This reference supplies a comprehensive and current overview of every aspect of gastrointestinal microbiota. Expertly written chapters cover conventional and molecular techniques for the study of differing microbial populations, as well as the analysis of microbial activity and interaction with host bodies. Illustrative and up-to-date, this source showcases how fluctuations in our diet, environment, and pharmaceutical intake affect microbial composition and behavior.

Tissue stem cells and their medical applications have become a major focus of research over the past decade. With 16 full-color illustrations, this reference provides a thorough and up-to-date overview of the current and emerging technologies for stem cell research and transplantation. Divided into three sections covering general issues, adult stem cells within specific tissues, and clinical applications, this source studies advances in bone marrow transplantation, cancer development modeling, tumor analysis, and gene therapy.

After half a century of doubt and debate, dyslipidemia has at last been accepted by cardiologists and the medical community at large as a major, treatable cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Written by a general practitioner, an epidemiologist, and a lipidologist, this updated second edition provides a broad, cutting-edge perspective of dyslipidemia, presenting the very latest information on lipid disorders from etiology to management. Clear, concise and highly illustrated, this user-friendly work: details normal lipid metabolism; describes the genetic and acquired causes of excessively high cholesterol disorders; reviews the evidence that dyslipidemia is a risk factor for vascular disease; and includes chapters summarising current US, British and European guidelines, the importance of diet and the role of lipid-lowering drugs. A highly practical text providing sound advice on screening, risk assessment and the management of dyslipidaemia, this second edition of Dyslipidemia in Clinical Practice is essential reading for a wide range of specialists who are increasingly dealing with patients with excessively high cholesterol disorders.

The current value of global trade has reached a staggering annual figure of $6 trillion in merchandise crossing borders. Such prolific global trading has, at the same time, begun to raise fears of pandemics and concerns for global health. Yet, investment in public health infrastructure and disease control was never designed to cope with international trade of this volume and diversity. Indeed, most health systems lag far behind, especially in poor countries. This has created new vulnerabilities for global populations to the introduction and amplification of infection through trade. Public fears have been further heightened by frightening news reports of deadly diseases such as Mad Cow disease and E. Coli. Risky Trade: Infectious Disease in the Era of Global Trade provides a thorough examination of the actual risks posed by disease in the age of globalization. Drawing on the economics of international trade and epidemiology, the author explores the critical health issues arising from the enormous increase in global trade and travel. Issues covered include: c The scale of the problem with particular reference to the Sakai outbreak of E. Coli; c Risks from particular microbes - Enteric and viral infections; Highly infectious agents; Antimicrobial resistance; and, Stealth agents; c Global outbreaks as a result of human travel and trade; c Prevention, surveillance and control; c The future health of global trading. In addition to highlighting the problems, the book also addresses some of the potential benefits the same globalization can bring to epidemic control through surveillance, diagnostics, treatment and investigation. The empirical approach ties together existing descriptions and case studies of epidemics building a comprehensive framework for examining new events and considering historical experience with infectious outbreaks. The volume will be a valuable guide to students, academics, practitioners, and policy makers in the areas of international trade, health economics, epidemiology, international/public health and disease control.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most prevalent genetic disorders of childhood and currently stands as an incurable condition. This authoritative guide provides a clear overview of the latest current and experimental approaches to the treatment of DMD and examines the clinical, genetic, and pathophysiological aspects of the disease in the context of emerging therapeutic modalities. The only available source on the subject, this reference emphasizes the importance of accurate diagnosis, carrier detection, and genetic counseling, and supplies state-of-the-art contributions on pharmacological interventions, regenerative medicine, and gene therapy.

This handbook describes and discusses cancer diagnosis and treatment evaluation, focusing on some key issues of the clinical method of medical oncologists. It helps medical oncologists to recognize these issues as worth learning and as a subject of research themselves.

The current interest in prion diseases has been fueled by the panic that originated from the appearance of a new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and the evidence linking it to human exposure to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent. Peer-reviewed to assure accuracy, this book describes the science, concepts, hypothesis, and mechanisms of prion disease transmission. It covers human and animal prion diseases, their incidence, prevalence, origin, and clinical and neuropathologic characteristics. The author provides scientific facts and a clear explanation of the relevance and implications of the findings for science in general.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic - at the interlocking levels of politics, economy, and society - have been different across regions, states, and societies. In the case of the Middle East and North Africa, which was already in the throes of intense tumult following the onset of the 2011 Arab Spring, COVID's blows have on the one hand followed the trajectory of some global patterns, while at the same time playing out in regionally specific ways. Based on empirical country-level analysis, this volume brings together an international team of contributors seeking to untangle how COVID-19 unfolds across the MENA. The analyses are framed through a contextual adaptation of Ulrich Beck's famous concept of "risk society" that pinpointed the negative consequences of modernity and its unbridled capitalism. The book traces how this has come home in full force in the COVID-19 pandemic. The editors, Larbi Sadiki and Layla Saleh, use the term "Arab risk society". They highlight short-term and long-term repercussions across the MENA. These include socio-economic inequality, a revitalized state of authoritarianism challenged by relentless democratic struggles. But the analyses are attuned to problem-solving research. The "ethnographies of the pandemic" included in this book investigate transformations and coping mechanisms within each country case study. They provide an ethically-informed research praxis that can respond to the manifold crises crashing down upon MENA polities and societies

At no time in U.S. history has there been a more effective challenge to medical expertise and authority than that mounted by the contemporary Laetrile movement. The efficacy of Laetrile has been debated for over twenty-five years, but despite vigorous opposition from the medical community, support for the purported cancer treatment continues to gro

Originally published in 1997 Evolutionary Change addresses the somatic mechanism of change. Although astounding advances in molecular biology have opened up new engineering possibilities to shape our future in terms of "improving" the human species as well as eradicating all kinds of pathological characteristics of biological development, these possibilities pose potentially serious dangers. They arise primarily from the local nature of changes that are introduced and the impact of the environment on the overall development of the biological system. The book explores the biological mechanisms of change in their entirety - as they fit into the general dynamics of biological systems - and demonstrates the pitfalls of tackling change from a narrow perspective, using cancer as an example of certain pathological manifestations of these mechanisms of change.

What is it about the challenges and stresses of midlife that disrupts equilibrium and promotes a sense of despair, even of crisis? Why does this stage of the life cycle give rise to new mental and physical symptoms that, for some, lead to chronic unhappiness to the point of dysfunction? Of course, there are common midlife events that account for the special narcissistic vulnerabilities of this period of life, and Eda Goldstein ably reviews these events and the theoretical perspectives commonly brought to bear on them. In When the Bubble Bursts, however, Goldstein's special concern is those individuals who come to midlife with heightened narcissistic vulnerabilities that make the navigation of this stage of life more difficult still. In understanding the latter such patients and devising a treatment approach appropriate to their self issues, Goldstein adopts a broadly self-psychological frame of reference. It is a matter, she finds again and again, of understanding how current stressors frustrate healthy self needs and trigger narcissistic vulnerabilities. purview, embraces modalities that are, to varying degrees, supportive, psychodynamic, and psychoanalytic, reworks and strengthens self structures in helping patients find new ways of affirming their sense of self. Her substantive case studies, which accompany the reader through all the chapters in her study, draw on personal and supervisory experiences to illustrate crucial foci of the treatment process with a range of midlife patients in psychotherapy. It is a striking that, amid a voluminous literature on psychodynamic psychotherapy, so little attention has been paid to the narcissistic vulnerabilities of midlife and the manner in which they enter into the psychotherapy of midlife patients. Eda Goldstein remedies this glaring lacuna in the literature with a study that comprises an admirable blend of theoretical astuteness, clinical wisdom, and personal honesty. balanced discussion of theoretical perspectives on adult development and her concluding consideration of the countertransference issues elicited by midlife patient in their midlife therapists, is an edifying and ingratiating contribution to the literatures of psychodynamic psychotherapy, self psychology, and adult development.

"Psychotherapies and the Treatment of Cancer Patients "addresses the need for a more integrated care of cancer patients within hospitals which pays attention to the mental anguish as well as physical distress caused by the disease. This book based on Lawrence Goldie's own research with cancer patients, which has shown that psychoanalytic psychotherapy together with general medical care can significantly help dying patients cope with the pain and suffering associated with the disease.
Drawing on this research, the book advocates a more holistic approach to the cancer patient and suggests ways in which more expert attention might be provided through awareness, training and resources. The book describes the innovative approach within the hospital context to help individuals cope with cancer. As well as an overview of cancer and the therapeutic approach, topics covered include:
- The impact
- Of cancer on hospital relationships
- Cancer in different areas of the body and mind
- "Mind-bending pain"
- Dread and trauma-on being told the truth
- Psychoanalytic psychotherapy in the NHS "general" hospital
- Examining group processes in hospital
"Psychotherapy and the Treatment of Cancer Patients" challenges the existing orthodoxies about palliative care and points to ways in which the principles and methods of psychoanalysis can be applied successfully to cancer care within the hospital context.

This reference analyzes the cellular and molecular biology and mechanisms of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and presents the most recent studies on the role of the BBB in the development and initiation of a wide range of physiological and pathological conditions affecting the central nervous system.

With a greater emphasis on the basic principles, practical recommendations, and economics of phototherapy, the Third Edition remains the standard source on the UV treatment of skin disease-presenting an expanded number of case studies, clinical solutions, and treatment protocols for a clear understanding of the present and future state of phototherapy, photochemotherapy, and phototesting in the dermatologic arena.

In 2000 the Department of Health issued a number of initiatives, with improving cancer treatment and research, and providing greater resources for cancer care being made a priority. Nurses and their colleague will be at the forefront of these changes. The book presents specialised biological information on what cancer is, how it damages the body, and how cancer treatments work. Engaging, accessible and illustrated throughout, this unique text: -explains the basic biology of cancer -discusses the biology of wide range of common cancers -identifies and explains the biological causes of cancer -explains drug action in chemotherapy and analgesia -explains the link between diet and cancer, and how diet is important in cancer therapy -discusses the biological basis of a range of nursing skills linked to cancer. This book will provide nurses with the essential knowledge required for working with cancer patient and their families, and will enable them to work with current and new forms of cancer treatment. It will also be of great use to clinical staff and nurse educators.

Despite the growth of various forms of online discussion, their impact on American political life is only beginning to be examined systematically. In Politics Online Richard Davis provides a thorough analysis detailing the political attitudes, behavior, and demographic nature of the electronic discussion community contrasting that community with the general public.

Building on a solid foundation of knowledge and skills, this classic text from trusted author Mary Louise Turgeon clearly explains everything from basic immunologic mechanisms and serologic concepts to the theory behind procedures performed in the lab.This go-to resource prepares you for everything from mastering automated techniques to understanding immunoassay instrumentation and disorders of infectious and immunologic origin. Packed with learning objectives, review questions, step-by-step procedures, and case studies, this text is the key to your success in today's modern laboratory environment. Procedural protocols help you transition from immunology theory to practical aspects of the clinical lab. Case studies allow you to apply your knowledge to real-world situations and strengthen your critical thinking skills. Updated illustrations, photographs, and summary tables visually clarify key concepts and information. Full-color presentation clearly showcases diagrams and micrographs, giving you a sense of what you will encounter in the lab. Learning objectives and key terms at the beginning of each chapter provide measurable outcomes and a framework for organizing your study efforts. Review questions at the end of each chapter provide you with review and self-assessment opportunities. NEW! Highlights of Immunology chapter presents a clear, accessible, and easy-to-understand introduction to immunology that will help you grasp the complex concepts you need to understand to practice in the clinical lab. NEW! Stronger focus on molecular laboratory techniques. NEW! Ten chapters include COVID-19 related topics, including Primer on Vaccines chapter covering newer vaccine production methods focusing on DNA and RNA nucleic acids and viral vectors, and covering eight different platforms in use for vaccine research and development against SARS-CoV-2 virus. NEW! All chapters include significant updates based on reviewer feedback. NEW! Key Concepts interwoven throughout each chapter highlight important facts for more focused learning.

The story of a forgotten health education film, Challenge: Science Against Cancer (1950), and what it tells us about mid-twentieth century North American cancer research, medical filmmaking, and health education campaigns. In 1949 the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Canadian Department of National Health and Welfare (DNHW) commissioned a film, eventually called Challenge. Science Against Cancer, as part of a major effort to recruit young scientists into cancer research. Both organizations feared that poor recruitment would stifle the development of the field at a time when funding for research was growing dramatically. The fear was that there would not be enough new young scientists to meet the demand, and that the shortfall would undermine cancer research and the hopes invested in it. Challenge aimed to persuade young scientists to think of cancer research as a career. This book is the story of that forgotten film and what it tells us about mid-twentieth century American and Canadian cancer research, educational filmmaking, and health education campaigns. It explores why Canadian and American health agencies turned to film to address the problem of scientist recruitment; how filmmakers turned such recruitment concerns into something they thought would work as a film; and how information officers at the NCI and DNHW sought to shape the impact of Challenge by embedding it in a broader educational and propaganda program. It is, in short, an account of the important, but hitherto undocumented, roles of filmmakers and information officers in the promotion of post-Second World War cancer research. This book is openly available in digital formats thanks to a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

This reference discusses state-of-the-art methods for the management of children with conditions affecting the nervous system-providing over 80 chapters that outline direct, logical approaches to numerous pediatric neurologic disorders using clear tables, algorithms, and figures for quick reference to key material.

This reader offers some of the most important writing to date from the science of COVID-19 and what science says about its spread and social implications. The readings have been carefully selected, introduced, and interpreted for an introductory or graduate student readership by a distinguished medical sociology and political science team. While some of the early science was inaccurate, lacking sufficient data, or otherwise incomplete, the author team has selected the most important and reliable early work for teachers and students in courses on medical sociology, public health, nursing, infectious diseases, epidemiology, anthropology of medicine, sociology of health and illness, social aspects of medicine, comparative health systems, health policy and management, health behaviors, and community health. Global in scope, the book tells the story of what happened and how COVID-19 was dealt with. Much of this material is in clinical journals, normally not considered in the social sciences, which are nonetheless informative and authoritative for student and faculty readers. Their selection and interpretation for students makes this concise reader an essential teaching source about COVID-19. An accompanying online resource on the book's Routledge web page will update and evolve by providing links to new readings as the science develops.

"Heavenly Hurts Surviving AIDS-Related Deaths and Losses" imparts vital information for anyone touched by deaths and losses of HIV/AIDS. In the AIDS pandemic, efforts are focused on persons living with AIDS (PLWA). Neglected are professional and non-professional caregivers, families, and friends. They are surviving deaths of loved ones from AIDS-related illness, or are dealing with multiple losses of HIV/AIDS. "Heavenly Hurts" provides guidance, support and coping skills, along with discussions of death language; AIDS grief; death in the workplace; and cultural and spiritual issues around death.

This updated reference describes the latest and most effective strategies in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of catheter-related infections (CRIs). The guide describes the pathogenesis of infectious complications while discussing procedures in infection control, catheter and catheter-site care, and patient monitoring and evaluation. This new edition updates the original material and provides new chapters on infections related to urinary catheters and the epidemiology and impact of these infections. Catheter-Related Infections, Second Edition serves as a practical evidence-based reference for detailed guidance on the prevention of catheter-related infections.