Dopamine is a small molecule traditionally regarded as a brain-derived neuronal modulator implicated in many neurological and psychiatric disorders. Outside the brain, dopamine fulfills all the criteria of a circulating hormone which affects normal and abnormal functions of multiple organs and regulatory systems and is also involved in many aspects of cancer formation and progression. This book provides a much needed systematic account of dopamine as an endocrine and autocrine/paracrine hormone and fills a major gap in the overall understanding of the production, distribution and actions of this very important molecule. Key Features: Explores the many different faces of dopamine as autocrine, paracrine and endocrine molecule Documents the adverse effects of antipsychotics on dopamine functions Reviews the many ways dopamine affects the cardiovascular, renal and reproductive systems Provides updates on receptor oligomerization and signaling Examines the role of dopamine in tumorigenesis Related Titles Jones, S. ed. Dopamine - Glutamate Interactions in the Basal Ganglia (ISBN 978-0-3673-8197-4) Luo, L. Principles of Neurobiology (ISBN 978-0-8153-4494-0) Sidhu, A. et al., eds. Dopamine Receptors and Transporters (ISBN 978-0-8247-0854-2)

This text is a review of current management techniques for pituitary tumors, incorporating recent advances and discussions by experienced clinicians. The use of both endocrinologists and neurosurgeons as chapter authors allows differing perspectives to be incorporated. The book is organized around individual tumor types, with additional chapter topics added for those subjects requiring special emphasis. Appropriate photographs and illustrations are incorporated as warranted.

Tackle diabetes and its complications for good with this newly updated edition of Dr. Neal Barnard's groundbreaking program. Revised and updated, this latest edition of Dr. Barnard's revolutionary guide to controlling your blood sugar features a new preface, updates to diagnostic and monitoring standards, recent research studies, and fresh success stories of people who have eliminated their diabetes by following this life-changing plan. Before Dr Barnard's scientific breakthrough (which predates almost every other book on blood sugar control), most health professionals believed that once you developed diabetes, you were stuck with it - and could anticipate one health issue after another, from worsening eyesight and nerve symptoms to heart and kidney problems. We know now that this is simply not true. Dr. Barnard has shown that it is possible to improve insulin sensitivity and tackle type 2 diabetes by following his step-by-step plan, which includes: | a healthful vegan diet with plenty of recipes to get started | an easy-to-follow exercise guide | advice about taking supplements and tracking progress | troubleshooting tips | and more! It's a proven, tried and tested way to treat diabetes. And it's about time.

Urolithiasis, or stone disease occurs in 7% of women and 12% of men at some point, and these statistics are rising. Furthermore, for those who form a stone, the likelihood of a recurrence is nearly 50% within 5 years of initial diagnosis. Therefore, the need for effective, minimally invasive alternatives for stone eradication and prevention is critical. Because stone disease comprises a large part of any urologist's practice, a thorough knowledge of the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of stone disease is critical in order to understand and implement treatment strategies to prevent stone formation. Likewise, a working knowledge of the surgical treatments, instrumentation and outcomes is necessary to arm patients with sufficient information to make an informed decision and to provide the appropriate treatment modality for a given stone situation. In Urolithiasis: Medical and Surgical Management, the authors provide a complete guide to the management of stone disease from both a medical and surgical prospective. This book should be an invaluable resource for those who treat stone disease in any capacity, whether surgically or medically, acutely or long-term.

This comprehensive text is unique in its compilation of experiences in addressing the global diabetes epidemic and description of diverse worldwide prevention initiatives. Background chapters describe the diagnosis and definition of diabetes, the epidemiology, pathophysiology of prediabetes as well as clinical trial evidence for diabetes prevention and treatment. Furthermore, the critical role of government in formulating a global health agenda, policy perspectives for European initiatives, the importance of nutritional policies for diabetes prevention as well as the development of the necessary capacity and infrastructure for diabetes prevention are described. Given the prevalence of diabetes in South Asians and migrants, one chapter focuses on risk factors and prevention of diabetes in these communities. Other chapters detail local and regional approaches covering a truly global span: United States, Latin America, Europe, India, Turkey, (Siberia) Russia, the Middle East and North Africa, South Africa, Israel, East Asia and Australia.Authored by academic experts in endocrinology and diabetes and global leaders in epidemiology and public health, this landmark text is an authoritative reference for a diverse audience including government, public health and policy experts and researchers, academicians, healthcare professionals, endocrinologists and clinicians interested in prediabetes and diabetes prevention, graduate students and faculty in public and global health graduate programs, epidemiologists, nutritionists, sociologists and those in translational medicine. Readers will broaden their awareness of the prevailing and burgeoning diabetes epidemic and the remarkably creative worldwide prevention initiatives undertaken to address the seemingly insurmountable inherent challenges posed by this global health care crisis. The text is an attestation to the wonderful potential for enormous human collaboration and achievement when communal organizations, governments at local, regional and national levels, researchers, the medical and public health communities, and nutrition experts join with global citizenry in confronting one of the most significant healthcare challenges witnessed in this century.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus is becoming an increasingly prevalent disease as obesity and other chronic diseases are on the rise. It requires careful and informed clinical management as the care received during pregnancy affects not only perinatal health but the risk of developing type 2 diabetes even decades into the future, in both the mother and the child.From epidemiology and pathophysiology to diagnosis and management, covering recent breakthroughs in research and up-to-date developments in clinical practice, Gestational Diabetes During and After Pregnancy offers the reader a comprehensive and current look at Gestational Diabetes. Anyone involved in the research, public health or clinical aspects of Gestational Diabetes will find this volume a valuable aid in consolidating all recent developments regarding this disease.

This book provides a concise, focused and clinically relevant summary of complications and emergencies related to bariatric surgery. The first section of the text addresses general complications related to anesthesia and the stress of surgery, including issues such as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, hemorrhage, pneumonia and cardiac complications. Additionally, this section addresses the workup of the bariatric patient with abdominal pain. The second portion of the text focuses on gastric bypass and sleeve-specific complications, including staple line and anastomotic leaks, internal hernia, marginal ulceration, GI obstruction, hernia formation and gallstone disease. The third portion of the book examines metabolic, nutritional and psychological complications after bariatric surgery. The text also covers management of weight loss failure. Bariatric Surgery Complications and Emergencies serves as a very useful resource for physicians and surgeons who are involved in any parts of evaluation or management of bariatric patients suffering from postoperative complications or emergencies including bariatric surgeons who perform these operations on a regular basis, non-bariatric general surgeons who cover such patients when on-call, surgical trainees, and primary care physicians.

Insulin resistance, defined as a reduced biological action of insulin, has emerged as a major factor in the development and progression of a number of common non-communicable diseases in man. The role of insulin resistance in the aetiology of type 2 diabetes is particularly well-established. However, insulin resistance has also come to be regarded as a key component of a broader syndrome of common metabolic defects that conspire to increase the risk of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease. The ramifications of insulin resistance now embrace many different medical specialties.

The objective of this book is to summarize the current state of knowledge about insulin resistance. Section 1 (Pathophysiology of Insulin Resistance) considers the development of current concepts of insulin resistance. This is followed by a critical review of techniques for the assessment of insulin action in humans. The section concludes with an outline of current hypotheses concerning the molecular defects responsible for insulin resistance. Section 2 (Insulin Resistance in Clinical Medicine) broadens the discussion to include physiological and pathological conditions with which insulin resistance is associated; the effects of drug treatment on insulin sensitivity are also considered. Section 3 (Management of Insulin Resistance and Associated Conditions) focuses on the avoidance and treatment of insulin resistance in its clinical manifestations. A discussion of the potential benefits of non-pharmacological measures prefaces a review of the range of drugs used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and related disorders. References are confined to key articles at the end of each section.

Improved nutrition allied to increased levels of physical exercise are of crucial importance in the battle to stem the increasing incidence and prevalence of insulin resistance; however, translation of such advice into action has proved difficult in practice. Thus, other approaches have been explored. Recent years have witnessed considerable progress in the pharmacological management of insulin resistance. In particular, the thiazolidinediones (and other insulin-sensitizing drugs) appear to provide a more specific assault on insulin-resistance. Clinical experience with these agents remains relatively limited and serious hepatotoxicity has clouded the first agent in this class - troglitazone. With its introduction into the USA in 1995 and driven by the publication of the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study, metformin has enjoyed a renaissance. This well-established agent is finding application for new clinical indications. In parallel, the development of anti-obesity drugs continues apace.

The molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying some forms of insulin resistance are being revealed.
Original intellectual concepts such as the fetal origins hypothesis are challenging traditional views about the aetiology of insulin resistance and its clinical sequelae. These exciting scientific advances notwithstanding, the evolving global epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes represents an enormous public health challenge. Now more than ever, research must focus on identifying solutions that are applicable on the level of entire populations. By definition, these must also be practical and cost-effective.

Last year, the National Audit Office reported that levels of obesity in the UK have tripled over the last 20 years. This makes the British among the fattest nations in Europe and, if nothing is done to halt the epidemic, it is feared that levels will soon reach those in the US where one person in every four is obese. Every year tens of thousands of people in the western world are dying prematurely from heart disease, stroke and diabetes - all of them closely linked to obesity.
Obesity is a disease. It is the expression of a classic interaction between nature and nurture. What are the factors responsible for its development? Are we becoming more and more a nation of couch potatoes, or are we just eating too much? Do fat children become fat adults? Can anything be done to halt the obesity epidemic?
This collection of essays, based on presentations made at a national symposium on obesity, is aimed at the generalist with an interest in managing obesity and its outcomes, whether general practitioner, community nurse, dietician or hospital clinician. Its purpose is to highlight the causes and consequences of obesity and to bring modern understanding to the treatment of a problem that is still heavily stigmatised. The authors offer a wide-ranging perspective of obesity as a global problem and explore its devastating metabolic, social and political impact.
What is increasingly clear is that the seeds of many of these adult diseases are sown in childhood. The prevention of adult obesity has thus become a major challenge for the paediatrician.

The first atlas devoted specifically to cardiometabolic risk, this book will provide a concise visual primer on the pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and clinical and radiologic features of this disorder. Describing recent care strategies and current practices in patient assessment, this source will allow clinicians to accurately identify and treat those patients at increased risk for metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

The articles comprising this volume were first presented at the World Congress on Neurohypophysial Hormones held in Bordeaux, France on September 8-12, 2001. This conference brought together more than 170 scientists from 18 countries who belong to the different fields of interest representing research in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system.

Two neurohypophysial neurohormones, oxytocin and vasopressin, exert a variety of central and peripheral actions and thus involve different scientific domains, which too often, even today, do not always find the appropriate occasion to interact. This volume is composed of chapters dealing with topics varying from basic and clinical neurosciences and neuroendocrinology, to reproductive, renal, cardiovascular physiology and pathology. It encompasses all areas of current neurohypophysial research and should be of vital interest as an integrative reference volume to specialized investigators and as an excellent introductory text to students, scientists and clinicians not yet closely familiar with the field. To ensure novelty and to make sure that all topics of current importance were covered, plenary and symposium speakers as well as poster presentations concentrated on recent advances made in the last few years.

Mitochondria produce the chemical energy necessary for eukaryotic cell functions; hence mitochondria are an essential component of health, playing roles in both disease and aging. More than 80 human diseases and syndromes are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction; this book focuses upon diseases linked to these ubiquitous organelles. Accumulation of mitochondrial DNA damage results in mitochondrial dysfunction through two main pathways. Mutation in mitochondrial DNA causes diseases such as Kearns-Sayre syndrome and Pearson syndrome. Mutation in chromosomal DNA causes diseases such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. These and many other diseases are reviewed in this book. Key Features Presents the detailed structure of mitochondria, mitochondrial function, roles of oxidants and antioxidants in mitochondrial dysfunction. Includes summary of both causes and effects of these diseases. Discusses current and potential future therapies for mitochondrial dysfunction diseases Explores a wide variety of diseases caused by dysfunctional mitochondria.

Contents:
1. What do gap junctions do anyway? 2. Cardiovascular gap junctions: Functional Diversity, complementation and specialization of connexins 3. Endothelium and smooth muscle pathways for conduction along resistance microvessels 4. Membrane potential and calcium responses evoked by acetylcholine in submucosal arterioles of the guinea-pig small intestine 5. The effects of ouabain, 18a-glycyrrhetinic acid and connexin-mimetic peptides on intercellular communication in cells expressing a Cx43-GFP chimeric protein 6. Role of gap junctions in endothelium-dependent hyperpolarizations 7. Heterogeneity of EDHF-type relaxations of rabbit and rat arteries analysed with peptides homologous to the extracelluar loops of connexins 37, 40 and 43 8. Myoendothelial and circumferential spread of endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization in coronary arteries 9. Direct myoendothelial contact in human pulmonary microvessels 10. Role of gap junctional communication in EDHF-mediated responses and mechanisms of K-induced dilatations 11. Comparison of alpha and beta isoforms of glycyrrhetinic acid and carbenoxolone as inhibitors of EDHF-type relaxation 12. Inhibitory effect of 18-beta-glycyrrhetinic acid on the relaxation induced by acetylcholine in the rat aorta 13. A central role for endothelial cell potassium channels in EDHF-mediated responses 14. Could the EDHF be K in porcine coronary arteries? 15. Nitro-L-arginine/indomethacin-resistant relaxations to acetylcholine in small gastric arteries of the rat: Effect of ouabain plus Ba2+ and relation to potassium ions 16. Effects of barium, ouabain and K+ on the resting membrane potential and endothelium-dependent responses in rat arteries 17. EDHF and potassium: Blockade of chloride channels reveals relaxations of rat mesenteric artery to potassium 18. Cytochrome P450 2C is a source of EDHF and reactive oxygen species in the porcine coronary artery 19. Cortisol increases EDHF-mediated relaxations in porcine coronary artery 19. Cortisol increases EDHF-mediated relaxations in porcine coronary arteries and up-regulates the expression of cytochrome P450 2C9 20. An arachidonic acid metabolite(s) produced by the endothelial cytochrome P450 isoform, CYP3A4, relaxes the lingual artery of the monkey via K+ channel opening 21. EDHF-mediated responses induced by bradykinin in the porcine coronary artery 22. Epoxyeicosatrienoic acid release mediates nitric oxide-independent dilatation of rat mesenteric vessels 23. Epoxyeicosatrienoic acid and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization in porcine coronary arteries 24. Lipoxygenase-derived metabolites of arachidonic acid are not involved in the endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization to acetylcholine in the carotid artery of the guinea-pig 25. Cytochrome P450 isoforms in the brain encode cell specific hyperpolarizing factors with a common mechanism of action 26. Expression of recombinant cytochrome P450 epoxygenase in rat brain 27. Identification of 11, 12, 15-trihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid as the mediator of acetylcholine- and arachidonic acid-induced relaxations in the rabbit aorta 28. Identification of hydrogen peroxide as an endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor in mice 29. Components of the potassium currents underlying the actions of endothelium- derived hyperpolarizing factor in arterioles 30. Evidence for relaxation to endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) in isolated small mesenteric arteries of the mouse 31. Pharmacological characterization of potassium channels in intact mesenteric arteries and single smooth muscle cells from eNOS-/- and +/+ mice 32. EDHF, which is not NO, is a major endothelium-dependent vasodilator in mice 33. Prostacyclin and iloprost in the isolated carotid artery of the guinea pig 34. Role of charybdotoxin/apamin sensitive K+ Ca channels in pulsatile perfusion- mediated coronary vasodilatation in vivo 35. Essential role of estrogen in the EDHF-mediated responses of mesenteric arteries from middle-aged female rats: Possible contribution of gap junctional protein connexin 43 36. Endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) and utero-feto-placental circulation in the rat 37. Endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor maintains a normal relaxation to bradykinin despite impairment of the nitric oxide pathway in porcine coronary arteries with regenerated endothelium 38. Mechanisms underlying the vasodilatation caused by bradykinin in essential hypertensive patients 39. Influence of diabetes on endothelium-dependent responses in mesenteric and femoral arteries of rats 40. Folate restores the NO synthase- and cyclooxygenase-resistant renal vasodilator response to acetylcholine in diabetes 41. Resistance of EDHF-mediated relaxations to oxidative stress in human radial arteries 42. Critical limb ischemia results in different types of endothelial dysfunction depending on the vascular bed studied 43. Potentiated EDHF-mediated dilatations in the rat middle cerebral artery following ischemia/reperfusion 44. The EDHF-dependent but not the NO-dependent component of the acetylcholine-induced relaxation of the rabbit aorta is resistant to ionized radiation 45. Inhibition of converting enzyme prevents the age-related decline in endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization 46. Effects of a converting enzyme inhibitor, an AT1-receptor antagonist and their combination on endothelial dysfunction in hypertension 47. EDHF: Gap junction or chemical? And many other questions

Diabetes and hypertension have evolved as two of the modern day epidemics affecting millions of people around the world. These two common co-morbidities lead to substantial increase in cardiovascular disease, the major cause of morbidity and mortality of adults around the world. In Diabetes and Hypertension: Evaluation and Management, a panel of renowned experts address a range of critical topics -- from basic concepts in evaluation and management of diabetes and hypertension, such as dietary interventions, to evaluation and management of secondary hypertension in clinical practice. Other chapters focus on high cardiovascular risk populations such as those with coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease and minority patients. In addition, evolving concepts and new developments in the field are presented in other chapters, such as prevention of type 2 diabetes and the epidemic of sleep apnea and its implication for diabetes and hypertension evaluation and management. An important title covering two of the most troubling disorders of our time, Diabetes and Hypertension: Evaluation and Management will provide the busy practitioner with cutting edge knowledge in the field as well as practical information that can translate into better care provided to the high-risk population of diabetics and hypertensive patients.

Coronary heart disease is the single most common cause of death in the UK. Much of the ensuing morbidity and premature morbidity is preventable and the Government is addressing this with the National Service Framework (NSF) initiative. This is a practical text that can be used by an individual practice team or by a group of practices working together. It gives examples of personal development plans and a practice learning plan showing how the information can be applied by a GP health professional or practice team. Topics such as heart failure smoking cessation and primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease are included as well as appendices providing NSF standards and goals Read codes and further useful information. It is relevant for all members of the primary healthcare team and also for public health physicians nurses and clinical governance leads responsible for implementing the NSF for coronary heart disease in their local area.

Endocrine and Hormonal Toxicology Edited by Philip W. Harvey, Kevin C. Rush and Andrew Cockburn AgrEvo UK Ltd, Saffron Walden, UK This is the first book to consider the integrated role of the classical endocrine system and hormones (including those from tissues outside the classical endocrine system) in toxicological responses. Although focusing on the latest knowledge on endocrine glands as target organs and the mechanistic and molecular basis for toxicity in these organs, Endocrine and Hormonal Toxicology has been written to cover toxicological responses at the whole body level mediated by endocrine or hormonal mechanisms. This whole body, multi--organ approach significantly broadens the relevance of this volume to toxicologists. Following an introductory section on the types of endocrine toxicity including primary, secondary and indirect mechanisms, the next section deals with endocrine organs as toxicological targets. International contributions focus on the pituitary, thyroid and parathyroids, adrenals, testes, ovaries and the pancreas, and comparative endocrine carcinogenesis. A third section of the book develops the whole body approach, in which chapters are devoted to hormonal mechanisms of toxicity to the immune, nervous, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and reproductive systems, as well as to the liver, kidney and skin. The final section covers human and environmental health perspectives discussing endocrine disrupting chemicals, hormonal mechanisms in breast cancer and current regulatory trends in endocrine and hormonal toxicology. The comprehensive nature of Endocrine and Hormonal Toxicology makes it accessible to both specialist and general toxicologists, and to those within the fields of endocrinology, pharmacology and pathology.

An ideal resource for both pediatricians and endocrinologists, Sperling's Pediatric Endocrinology, 5th Edition, brings you fully up to date with accelerating research; new discoveries in metabolic, biochemical and molecular mechanisms; and the resulting advances in today's clinical care. The editorial team of world-renowned pediatric endocrinologists led by Dr. Mark Sperling, as well as expert contributing authors, cover comprehensive and current aspects of both basic science and clinical practice. Whether you're preparing for certification or have extensive clinical experience, this detailed, authoritative reference helps you increase your knowledge and determine the best possible course for every patient. Delivers trusted guidance in every area of the field: including Endocrine Disorders of the Newborn, Endocrine Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence, and Laboratory Tests. Features new topics such as transgender issues in children and adolescents and endocrinology of pregnancy, the fetus and the placenta. Offers expert coverage of hot topics such as disorders of sexual development, molecular basis of endocrine disorders, hypoglycemia in newborns and infants; neonatal and other monogenic forms of diabetes; Type I and Type II diabetes and their treatment with new insulins together with the progress in an artificial pancreas and new medications for T2DM in adolescents; the obesity epidemic and role of bariatric surgery; and advances toward personalized medicine. Includes easy-to-follow algorithms and numerous quick-reference tables and boxes in every clinical chapter, plus interactive questions online for self-assessment. Offers state-of-the-art information and fresh perspectives from new and award-winning authors in such areas as disorders of growth, multiple endocrine tumors, and puberty and its disorders in girls and boys. Enhanced eBook version included with purchase. Your enhanced eBook allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices.

This book is a how-to manual for practicing physicians and health care providers, nurse educators, nutritionists, and physicians in training in the management of persons with diabetes mellitus. Experts with strong clinical and teaching backgrounds provide up-to-date recom-mendations and rationale of the most effective diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to diabetes mellitus and its multiorgan micro- and macrovascular complications for patients of all ages. Gives five practical guidelines for nutrition therapy that supplies realistic recommendations! With contributions from nearly 60 clinicians who reveal a constellation of disorders with different signs, symptoms, clinical characteristics, and therapies, Medical Management of Diabetes Mellitus -reviews the autoimmune process and genetics of type 1 and type 2 diabetes -offers an overview of the medications that impair glucose metabolism causing hypo- or hyperglycemia -covers pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and diagnosis with specialized laboratory tests -surveys therapeutic modalities, their mechanisms of action, and rationale for use -focuses on outcomes and how they are tracked -stresses early detection and therapy of end-organ complications -discusses the effect of intensive diabetes management on reducing retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy -considers incorporating psychiatric techniques into the treatment of diabetes -compares and contrasts diabetes in children, adults, and the elderly -and more! Containing over 850 references, tables, drawings, and photographs, Medical Management of Diabetes Mellitus is a cross-disciplinary reference perfect for family practice physicians, internists, pediatricians, endocrinologists, pharmacologists, nutritionists, physiologists, dietitians, obesity specialists, psychiatrists, and medical school students in these disciplines.

Goodman's Basic Medical Endocrinology, Fifth Edition, has been student tested and approved for decades. This essential textbook provides up-to-date coverage of rapidly unfolding advances in the understanding of hormones involved in regulating most aspects of bodily functions. It is richly illustrated in full color with both descriptive schematic diagrams and laboratory findings obtained in clinical studies. This is a classic reference for moving forward into advanced study.

Cellular Endocrinology in Health and Disease, Second Edition, describes the underlying basis of endocrine function, providing an important tool to understand the fundamentals of endocrine diseases. Delivering a comprehensive review of the basic science of endocrinology, from cell biology to human disease, this work explores and dissects the function of a number of cellular systems. The new edition provides an understanding of how endocrine glands function by integrating information resulting in biological effects on both local and systemic levels, also providing new information on the molecular physiopathogenesis of endocrine neoplasic cells. The new edition expands the most used chapters from the first edition and proposes a series of substitutions and additions to the table of contents. New chapters cover signaling, brown adipose tissue, hypothalamic cell models, cellular basis of insulin resistance, genetics and epigenetics of neuroendocrine tumors, and a series of chapters on endocrine-related cancer. Providing content that crosses disciplines, Cellular Endocrinology in Health and Disease, Second Edition, details how cellular endocrine function contributes to system physiology and mediates endocrine disorders. A methods section proves novel and useful approaches across research focus that will be attractive to medical students, residents, and specialists in the field of endocrinology, as well as to those interested in cellular regulation. Editors Alfredo Ulloa-Aguirre and Ya-Xiong Tao, experts in molecular and cellular aspects of endocrinology, deliver contributions carefully selected for relevance, impact, and clarity of expression from leading field experts

Skin lesions are often the first sign for an endocrine disease. Their description is thus of relevance for early diagnosis and treatment of endocrine disease for specialists in endocrinology as well as in dermatology.

Lavishly illustrated, this book describes the clinical and histological features of skin lesions observed in endocrine diseases. All features are reader-friendly structured and written in the language of dermatologists in order to enable a simple association between the features observed and the endocrine etiology.

The complex and fascinating subject of endocrinology can often seem rather daunting for non-specialists. For practising endocrinologists too, maintaining a broad overview of the subject can be a major task. Laboratory Animal Endocrinology has been written with both these audiences in mind. Focusing on the species regularly used in experimental studies (including rodents, dogs and monkeys), each chapter presents a wealth of information on hormone structure, synthesis, secretion, receptors, second messengers and their actions, and considers the various physiological and pharmacological processes which may be involved in hormonal regulation. Interspecies’ differences in hormonal structure, metabolism and interactions with drugs and other chemicals are particularly important to toxicologists and in drug safety evaluation. Laboratory Animal Endocrinology also explores these areas of research and provides much-needed support for the interpolation of endocrine data from one test species to another and to humans. The book is not intended exclusively for toxicologists however, but will prove indispensable for all those working with laboratory animals.

An extremely useful text for research Internationally renowned experts describe the models, provide data obtained with those models, and discuss the relative usefulness of models in relation to the diabetic syndrome in humans. The first section examines the most widely used model, the streptozotocin (STZ) rat, condensing a massive quantity of literature to present both the general effects of of STZ diabetes and the effects on individual organ systems. The second section discusses less well-known and more recent diabetic models, such as the BB rat, the NOD mouse and Zucker and Zucker Diabetic Fatty rat models.
Genetic models of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) are examined and compared to chemically induced IDDM models.

Recognizing the urgent need for an up-to-date review of new and innovative research on growth hormone (GH) secretagogues, this exclusive work furnishes the state of the art on the mechanisms of action, design, synthesis, evaluation, and clinical applications of GH secretagogues, including orally active and xenobiotic GH-releasing compounds. Beginning with a thorough historical perspective on the discovery and evolution of GH-releasing peptides (GHRPs) as therapeutic agents, Growth Hormone Secretagogues in Clinical Practice -analyzes structural requirements for GH secretagogue efficacy -demonstrates the use of mathematical models to predict differential values of individual stimuli for GH secretion from the pituitary -reports on the development of a simple screening system based on polyclonal antibodies -discusses laboratory synthesis of agonistic analogs intended for human and veterinary use -proposes applications in managing conditions such as Turner's syndrome, acromegaly, diabetic retinopathy, glomerulosclerosis, tumors, and cancer -provides physiological evidence for the effects of GHRP on behavior with a series of trials involving voluntary and forced exercise -describes a new diagnostic test for evaluating pituitary function in slowly growing children and aging adults -explores the interactions of GH secretagogues with other hormones and endogenous substances from sex steroids to interferons -and much more!

The endocrine system is an efficient means of controlling, via hormones, large numbers of cells at many different sites in the body and it is the most important factor in the control of the basic processes of the individual, such as metabolism, growth and reproduction. _ Human Endocrinology is a concise lucid explanation of how hormones are secreted by various glands into the blood and dispersed to cells within the body. Each hormone group is described in a separate chapter dealing with the factors affecting the hormones secretion and the use of particular hormones in the treatment of disease. _ Disorders of the endocrine system, such as diabetes and some forms of dwarfism and the use of hormones in medicine (such as oral contraceptives) are covered. The illegal use of hormonal drugs, for example anabolic steroids, in sport is also discussed. _ The author's accessible style and extensive use of figures and tables make this a valuable text for all students studying the subject as part of many bioscience courses including medicine, nursing, physiology, pharmacy pharmacology and biomedical science.