In collaboration with Consulting Editor, Dr. Norman Gitlin, Guest Editor Dr. Catherine Frenette has assembled expert authors to provide current updates on Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). This issue asks important questions and provides answers and current thoughts on the staging and treatment of HCC. Clinical review articles are specifically dedicated to the following topics: The Changing Global Epidemiology of Hepatocellular Carcinoma; Prevention Strategies for HCC; Biomarkers or Biopsy for Diagnosis of HCC; Screening and Surveillance Strategies to Improve the Chance of Success; Imaging Diagnosis of HCC; Surgical Resection: Old dog--Any new tricks; Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Liver Transplant: How Will Organ Allocation Changes Affect the HCC Patient Within Transplant Criteria; Downstaging to Liver Transplant: Success Involves Choosing the Right Patient; Locoregional Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: What has Changed in the Past Ten Years; External Beam Radiotherapy: Is There a Place for This in HCC Treatment; Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Hepatocellular Carcinoma; Immuno-oncology for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The Present and the Future; Management of Side Effects of Systemic Therapies for HCC: Guide for the Hepatologist; and Why a Multi-disciplinary Tumor Board is Critical for Success with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Readers will come away with the information they need to improve patient outcomes in the patient with HCC.

The nutrition of an individual during gestation and the first two years of life-the first 1,000 days-sets the stage for lifelong health. Nutrition quality and quantity in this period can influence the risk of developing diseases that constitute today's epidemics. Early-life nutrition can program the body's tissues, organ structure and function, and metabolic and immunologic responses. These factors impact growth, development and cognition, and the risk of cardiovascular diseases, allergies and obesity. The first part of Early Nutrition and Long-Term Health examines the mechanisms by which early nutrition affects the risk of developing these conditions. The second part of this book reviews specific non-communicable diseases (NCDs) associated with early nutrition. The third part discusses the effects of nutritional programming from fetal life to toddlerhood. Prevention of over- or undernutrition in early life, rather than dietary, behavioral or therapeutic interventions in later life, is likely to have a greater return on society's investment in coping with the modern epidemic of NCDs.

Gastroparesis: Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis and Treatment is a reference book providing a centralized source of data on gastroparesis collected over the last decade. Contents include the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic recommendations and treatment options for gastroparesis. The reference is split into broad subsections, with the strategy of first focusing on the key features of the disease and then turning to controversies, recent developments, patient support resources, the spectrum of treatment - including medical and surgical - and future directions. Chapters will include coverage of important topics like autonomic neuropathy, the brain-gut axis, potential pathophysiological advances at the cellular level, diagnostic and therapeutic options specifically targeted at the pylorus, and the evaluation of the female predominance in gastroparesis. This is a must-have resource for scientists looking to find the next step in their research as well as healthcare professionals ranging from Gastroenterologists to Internists, Surgeons, Nutritionists, Psychiatrists, and Psychologists, Residents and Medical Students who struggle with how to optimally take care of their gastroparetic patients.

In collaboration with Consulting Editor, Dr. Norman Gitlin, Dr. Steven Flamm has put together another great update for the hepatology consult. Articles are submitted by expert author and in the format of the clinical review article, provide timely data for diagnosis and treatment. Specific areas addressed include the following: Management of esophageal and gastric varices; Severe thrombocytopenia in chronic liver disease and new management approaches; Pathology in chronic liver disease; Alpha 1 antitrypsin disease and chronic liver disease in adults; Evaluation of management of Budd-Chiari; HBV reactivation with immunosuppressive therapy; Homeopathic products and hepatotoxicity; New uses of TIPS; Dermatologic manifestations of chronic liver disease; Acute on chronic liver failure; Cholangiocarcinoma; Diagnosis and management of hepatic adenoma and focal nodular hyperplasia; Emerging data about the microbiome in chronic liver disease; and Acute viral hepatitis aside from HAV, HBV, and HCV. Readers will come away with the information they need to improve patient outcomes.

Together with Consulting Editor Dr. Charles Lightdale, Dr. Jacques Van Dam has put together the first ever monograph that tackles the challenges of infection prevention by endoscopists and interventional endoscopists. Dr. Van Dam has selected authors who have learned valuable lessons in hospitals where antibiotic-resistant infections occurred as well as regulating bodies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who are trying to both resolve what happened and create, as much as possible, an evidenced-based response in an effort to protect the public. Articles are specifically devoted to the following topics: Introduction to Transmission of Infection: Potential Agents Transmitted by Endoscopy; Genetic Mutation and Natural Selection of Resistant Bacteria: How did We Get Here; Nosocomial Infections: A History of Hospital-Acquired Infections; Endoscope as Vector for Transmission Methods for Endoscope Reprocessing; Novel Algorithms for Reprocessing, Drying and Storing; Quality Systems Approach for Endoscope Reprocessing: You Don't Know What you Don't Know; Role of the FDA: From Device Regulation to Crisis Management; Hospital Outbreaks; Patient as Vector and Victim; Society Guidelines: Where is the Consensus; New-Age Antibiotics; Role of the CDC: From Hospital Outbreak to Crisis Management. Readers will come away with latest information they need to prevent infections in their endoscopy suites and hospitals.

A Comprehensive Overview of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Clinical and Basic Science Aspects presents up-to-date knowledge in the field and provides a comprehensive summary of this area of study, including an overview on IBS, starting from its pathogenesis, including genetic, microbial and physiological background, through symptom recognition, diagnosis and IBS treatment, both non-pharmacological and pharmacological.

In collaboration with Consulting Editor, Dr. Norman Gitlin, Dr. Pierre Gholam has put together topics that provide a current clinical update on the treatment and management of patients with drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Expert authors have contributed clinical review articles on the following topics: Epidemiology, Predisposing Factors and Outcomes; Genetic Predisposition to DILI; Causality Assessment Frequent Offenders and Patterns of Injury; Quantitative Systems Toxicology Approaches to Understand and Predict DILI; Liver Histology: Diagnostic and Prognostic Features; Acute Liver Failure Secondary to DILI; DILI in Persons with Pre-existing Chronic Liver Disease; DILI in the Setting of Statin Use; DILI in the Setting of Analgesic Use; DILI Secondary to Herbals and Dietary Supplements; and DILI Reporting and Resources for the Clinician. Readers will come away with the information they need to improve outcomes in patients with DILI.

In collaboration with Consulting Editor, Dr. Norman Gitlin, Dr. Tarek Hassanein has assembled top experts in hepatology to bring current information on the topic of Hepatitis B Virus. The issue provides the most current information on the prevention and care of infected patients. Specific articles are devoted to the following topics: Global perspective on HBV infections in the era of effective vaccines; Understanding the natural history of HBV infection and the new definitions of cure and the endpoints of clinical trials; HBV/HCV coinfection in the era of HCV-DAAs; Antiretroviral effects on HBV/HIV coinfection and the natural history of liver disease; Impact of HBV infection on HCC and liver transplantation; HBV in pregnant women and their infants; WHO guidelines for prevention, care and treatment of individuals infected with HBV: A US perspective; Reconciling the difference between the major HBV treatment guidelines: AASLD, EASL, APASL; HBV/HDV coinfection: A challenge for therapeutics; and The effects of hepatic steatosis on the natural history of HBV infection. Readers will come away with the current information they need to manage patient outcomes.

In consultation with Consulting Editor, Dr. Alan Buchman, Dr. Stanley J. Naides has put together a state-of the-art issue of the Gastroenterology Clinics of North America devoted to Laboratory Monitoring of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Disease. Clinical review articles from expert authors are specifically devoted to the following: Inborn Errors of Metabolism and the GI track; Primary Immunodeficiency and the gut; Liver fibrosis determination; IBD; Autoimmune liver disease diagnosis and classification; Laboratory Diagnosis of Viral hepatitis; IgG4-RD with Emphasis on its GI Manifestation; Bowel Microbiome in Health and Disease; AAV System; and Celiac Disease. Readers will come away with the latest information they need to diagnose and monitor patients with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disease.

Many bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi play key roles in the development of gastrointestinal diseases, and this practical reference brings you up to speed with this increasingly important area. Covering a broad range of GI diseases and cancers, this resource provides an expert overview of the field, ideal for all gastroenterologists and infectious disease physicians. Covers infections associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus, gallbladder disease, acute pancreatitis, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, appendicitis, Whipple Disease, Crohn's Disease, and more. Discusses esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and colorectal cancer. Includes chapters on gut microbiome, fecal transplants, and the molecular pathgenesis of gastrointestinal infections. Consolidates today's available information on this timely topic into a single convenient resource.

Not just another diet or exercise book, but a unique reference tool that discusses a difficult subject with wisdom and wit and provides concise, expert information on how to optimize bowel function, prevent disease, and achieve great health.