The original series, Advances in Prostaglandin Research, edited by Sultan M. M. Karim, was published by MTP Press in three volumes in 1975 and 1976. A glance at those books illustrates the progress that has been made since then. The thromboxanes were mentioned twice (first publication 1975) and prostacyclin not once (first publication 1976); leukotrienes were only on the horizon. The amazing generation of research data in the last 10-15 years has given new, broad insights into many areas, including asthma, inflammation, renaL cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases and in reproduction, and has led in some instances to real clinical benefit. This series, AdvancesinEicosanoidResearch, reflects the current understanding of prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes. The aim is to provide an introductory background to each topic and the most up-to-date information available. Although each book stands alone, the eicosanoids cut across many boundaries in their basic actions; selected chapters from each book in the Series will provide illuminating and productive information for all readers which will advance their education and research. In the production of this series, I must acknowledge with pleasure my collaboration with editors and authors and the patient endeavours of Dr. Michael Brewis and the staff at MTP Press

Diagnostic Pathology of the Intestinal Mucosa - An Atlas and Review of Biopsy Interpretation offers a comprehensive overview of intestinal mucosal structure as defined through peroral or endoscopic biopsy specimens obtained in normal and disease states. It describes small intestinal biopsy pathology in conjunction with morphologic, functional, and pathophysiologic correlations. Routine methods of processing tissues for light microscopy, electron microscopy, histochemistry, and light- and electron- microscopic-immunoperoxidase techniques are presented so that the novice in the area of intestinal structure may have an easily accessible reference for setting up a morphologic laboratory.

Providing an essential brainstem relay for three cranial nerves, the NST coordinates highly complex sensory information. While other functions of the NST have received attention, its role in gustatory processing has received little. The first reference devoted exclusively to gustatory processing, The Role of the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract in Gustatory Processing offers an in-depth review of one of the most important central relay stations in the brain. Combining widely dispersed research into a comprehensive single volume, it presents a thorough historical background, documents the anatomy of the rostral nucleus of the solitary tract (rNST), and explores the properties of synaptic transmitters and neurons within that tract. The book examines the role of reflex activities and considers factors that influence how gustatory rNST neurons respond to taste stimuli. It describes the development and maturational changes the rNST undergoes and considers the challenge involved with identifying rNST neural circuits. The Role of the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract in Gustatory Processing brings together expert investigators who have contributed substantially to the current knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, and developmental biology of the solitary nucleus. This pertinent work serves as a standard reference for those involved in the field, providing ready access to past investigations and inviting practitioners to create new approaches that will advance knowledge about the central processing of gustatory information.

This work has true international scope, being a unique European/American joint venture that focuses on the state of the art in both diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclide methodology. Pertinent clinical applications are emphasized rather than attempting to cover everything included in the several large comprehensive texts available in our field. This "practical" approach should make it an essential guide to nuclear medicine physicians, technologists, students and interested clinicians alike.

about the book... Standing alone as the first definitive and comprehensive book on the subject, this guide describes the most recent studies on the brain-gut connection and psychosocial issues related to patients experiencing visceral pain. Bringing together leading experts from the top-tiers of the science, this source provides 33 engaging chapters and spans basic concepts in pharmacology, neurobiology, physiology, and psychology to provide a practical approach to the treatment of chronic pain. Examining a condition that affects up to 25% of the general U.S. population, this source is the only book on the subject to cover both clinical syndromes and neurobiology...ranges from basic mechanisms to diagnosis and clinical treatment of specific syndromes including inflammatory bowel disease, functional abdominal pain, dyspepsia, non-cardiac chest pain, and pelvic pain syndromes...analyzes the latest scientific advances including the role of functional imaging in patient care...integrates fundamental scientific concepts with a practical clinical approach...and supplies 250 figures, and more than 16 color photographs. about the editors... PANKAJ JAY PASRICHA is Chief, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Bassel and Frances Blanton Distinguished Professor of Internal Medicine; and Professor of Neuroscience and Cell Biology and Biomedical Engineering; University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston. Dr. Pasricha also heads the Enteric Neuromuscular Disorders and Pain Center at UTMB and has performed pioneering research in pain and motility disorders. Dr. Pasricha has served on numerous national gastroenterological committees and on panels for the National Institutes of Health. He received the M.D. degree (1982) from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, and post-graduate training in gastroenterology at the Johns Hopkins University Medical School in Baltimore, Maryland. WILLIAM D. WILLIS is Director, Cecil H. and

Although dyspepsia has been investigated for a long period of time, there is no international agreement on what constitutes this condition nor any standardized guidelines. National guidelines followed by practitioners in different countries vary in diagnostic and therapeutic approach, underlining the necessity for a unique definition worldwide. Dyspepsia in Clinical Practice summarizes the current guidelines while offering a unified, practical definition of dyspepsia, and a diagnostic algorithm with an emphasis on the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and rational first-line therapeutic approach based on epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic workup and response to previous therapy. Up-to-date scientific information about dyspepsia is presented from a practical, clinician's point of view. Written by experts in the field, this volume addresses dyspepsia in childhood and in the elderly, a very important issue often insufficiently emphasized in the literature. Guidelines are provided that can be easily followed in clinical practice, leading to a reduction in costs and increased patient safety. Dyspepsia in Clinical Practice will be of great value to gastroenterologists, internists, primary care physicians, pediatricians, infectious disease specialists, residents and fellows in training.

A complex disease entity, intestinal failure (IF) has only recently become accepted as a distinct clinical syndrome. Improvements across a wide range of disciplines-including critical care and organ transplantation as well as surgical, medical, and nutritional therapies-have led to a steady rise in survival and quality of life for patients with IF. Taking a current, multidisciplinary approach to their care, Clinical Management of Intestinal Failure offers intensive discussion of medical and nutritional issues in adults and children with intestinal failure. It addresses all facets of IF, including epidemiology, clinical presentation, intestinal rehabilitation, and transplantation. Topics covered include: Etiology and epidemiology Pathophysiology and clinical assessment Medical and surgical management Prevention and treatment of complications Nursing management Emerging diagnostic and therapeutic methods Long-term care Reflecting the diverse nature of IF clinical care and research, this book is written by a group of expert clinician scientists that includes gastroenterologists, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, social workers, and patients. They show how a multidisciplinary approach to patient care is instrumental in achieving optimal patient outcomes through more efficient lines of communication, improved monitoring of medications and their effects, detailed evaluation of growth parameters, and facilitation of the creative process that can lead to research breakthroughs. Advancing the discipline of IF, this book summarizes the current state of the art of patient management as well as new developments in the science of tissue engineering, medical and surgical therapy, and transplantation.

Oral tolerance is a major immunological property of the gastrointestinal mucosa. It plays a critical role in immune defence by preventing inflammatory and allergic responses to dietary and non pathogenic microbial antigens. The interest in oral tolerance has been renewed in the recent years, due to novel insights on its cellular mechanisms and potential clinical applications in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Oral Tolerance: Cellular and Molecular Basis, Clinical Aspects, and Therapeutic Potential, has been designed as a concise yet comprehensive overview of the newest fundamental and clinical advances in the field. Based on the outstanding contribution of world experts, this book will be helpful to students, clinicians, and researchers working in mucosal immunology and gastroenterology. The first part of this volume describes the structure and functions of the gastrointestinal mucosa and the fundamental features and mechanisms of oral tolerance, including the role of T cells, cytokines, IgA antibodies, and bacterial antigens. The second part explores the clinical implications of the disruption of oral tolerance in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, food and milk allergies, and coeliac disease in particular. The final chapter focuses on the clinical potential of oral tolerance as a promising therapeutic tool.

H. pylori infection, both in man and in the laboratory animal, has become a standard model to investigate fundamental problems in biology, such as microbial-host interactions, intracellular signalling, modulation of inflammation, mucosal atrophic metaplasia, and microbial resistance, to name just a few. The issues addressed in this book are grouped according to their leading theme. Topics include: the new Helicobacters, strain differences of H. pylori and their consequence on microbial-host interactions and the effects of H. pylori infection on the gastric mucosa. The role of H. pylori is explained in relation to: gastric carcinogenesis; gastroesophageal reflux disease; dyspepsia and long-term acid suppression. Eradication therapies are reviewed with respect to their global consequences and problems. The last two sections are devoted to a global update on therapeutic indications and finally on priorities for further research.
These proceedings accurately reflect the state-of-the-art presentations delivered by world experts. This latest volume will further enrich this top-class series on H. pylori infection.

1 2 MARCEL B. ROBERFROID AND GLENN R. GIBSON 1 Universite Catholique de Louvain, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Avenue Mounier 73, B-1200 Brussels, BELGIUM 2 Food Microbial Sciences Unit, Department of Food Science and Technology, The University of Reading, Reading, UK It is clear that diet fulfils a number of important human requirements. These include the provision of sufficient nutrients to meet the requirements of essential metabolic pathways, as well as the sensory (and social) values associated with eating. It is also evident that diet may control and modulate various body functions in a manner that can reduce the risk of certain diseases. This very broad view of nutrition has led to the development of foodstuffs with added "functionality." Many different definitions of functional foods have arisen. Most of these complicate the simple issue that a functional food is merely a dietary ingredient(s) that can have positive properties above its normal nutritional value. Other terms used to describe such foods include vitafoods, nutraceuticals, pharmafoods, foods for specified health use, health foods, designer foods, etc. Despite some trepidation, the concept has recently attracted much interest through a vast number of articles in both the popular and scientific media.

This book presents detailed methods on a variety of aspects of Salmonella research, focusing on those which provide landmarks for future discovery. It is the first comprehensive volume of methods and protocols for studying Salmonella and will be indispensable to researchers engaged in the study of Salmonella, and enterobacteria in general. Each chapter provides a short overview of the topic, followed by detailed explanations of techniques.

This book is unique for its comprehensive presentation of protease function in the stomach, colon, pancreas and liver under both physiological conditions and major diseases manifesting in these four organs. The individual chapters have been written by leaders in the field who outline in great detail the role of proteases in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of disease. Animal models and experimental data are discussed in the context of patient-derived data.

This volume serves as a hands-on, practical reference in nutrition support for the clinical gastroenterologist and for other clinicians with similar interests. The book offers expert nutritional knowledge and management ideas. It also provides methodology for combating problems such as short bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease and obesity.

This textbook addresses the best way of evaluating patients with rectal prolapse, the underlying pathophysiology, the different surgical approaches, the expected functional results after surgery and the management of complex clinical conditions associated with this condition. It is an essential book that attempts to draw together material that could be of vital importance to surgeons around the world. The pathophysiology of rectal prolapse is still uncertain and its clinical and instrumental diagnostic assessment needs to be clarified.

In offering this book to what we hope will be interested readers, we have several aspirations. We have aspired to present to students and clinicians a rather narrow view of epidemiology concentrating on the causal factors and setting of the more usual gastroenterological problems and giving greater space to conditions of importance for which major knowledge of causation andcourse is available. Part of the rationale is thebelief that modern medicine lays excessive emphasis on therapy with increasingly expensive, and in many cases, dangerous drugs and too little emphasis on the causes and avoidance of disease. We are of the view that traditional views handed st down through generations of clinicians need scrutiny worthy of 21 century medicine whose currency includes topics like nanomoles, megabytes and logistic regression. We hope that clinicians will see that there is often a practical application to the findings of epidemiological exploration and that what passes for canonical knowledge is so often unsubstantiated myth and are fully aware of the reluctance of organized medicine to reject old paradigms in favor of the new, matched by an often uncritical enthusiasm for new therapies. Our researches have increased our belief in the major role of social factors especially diet, both in quantity and quality in many disorders and that clinicians have a responsibility to provide appropriate advice to policy makers as well as patients.

Since a number of mucosal digestive tract cancer detected has increased in recent years with an advance of endoscopic instruments, endoscopic treatment of digestive tract cancer is widely spread in Japan but not in other countries. Minute cancers seem to have own characteristic mucosal signs compared with benign lesions. Therefore, strategies, those are different in Japan from other countries, of endoscopic diagnosis are very important.

The cancer institute hospital of JFCR (Japan foundation of cancer research) is one of the top institutions which do the best endoscopic treatment in Japan. This book is expected to be the first valuable atlas in which the abundant experiences of this hospital offer beautiful photographs of minute cancers without any scars of biopsies which change aspects of original lesions. This book also offer pictures of magnifying endoscopy using NBI (Narrow Band Imaging) and pathological findings.

Although pancreatic cancer is one of the most serious forms of cancers, the lack of clinical symptoms often limits curative treatment options. This book gives insight into the current understanding of the management of pancreatic cancer and considers recent findings in cancer research. It provides answers to questions of how to know when cancer is respectable, how to proceed when the diagnosis comes too late for a curative approach, and how to assess different study results.

- With a dramatic increase in knowledge of anorectal physiology and imaging over the last five years, this book provides a comprehensive study of anorectal assessment.

- Explores all the lastest techniques and treatments in the field

- Organized into two, easy to manage, sections

- First book to pull a diverse area together and includes 3-D ultrasound, transperineal ultrasonography and dynamic MRI not found in other texts on anorectal disorders

Surgery of the Esophagus and Stomach provides an illustrative, instructive, and comprehensive review that depicts the rationale of basic operative principles essential to surgical therapy of the esophagus and stomach. The chapters provide pertinent and concise summaries of how to deal with various esophagus and stomach disorders, spanning benign and malignant problems and minimally invasive procedures. Stages of operative approaches with relevant technical considerations are outlined in an easily understandable manner. Complications are reviewed when appropriate for the organ system and problem. The text is illustrated throughout by line drawings and photographs that depict anatomic or technical principles. A concise, handbook-sized reference work, this book is a valuable resource for all general surgeons and residents in training.

This book addresses the contemporary multidisciplinary management of liver metastases. Throughout the text, experience from the paradigms of colorectal cancer metastases treatment strategies are used to point to new directions in the management of liver metastases from other cancers. The book will be invaluable for surgeons in general surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, upper GI surgery, colorectal surgery, medical and clinical oncologists with an interest in liver tumours, and radiologists with an interest in liver disease.

Endomicroscopy is a newly developed diagnostic tool which enables in vivo microscopy with subcellular resolution during ongoing endoscopy in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. Thus, endomicroscopy is a revolutionary technology because it provides the endoscopists for the first time with information about living cells in humans. Endoscopy and pathology are no longer separate subjects and thus endomicroscopy leads to a close interaction between endoscopist and pathologist. This Atlas of Endomicroscopy is the first book dealing with the new insights of endomicroscopy and provides you an overview about the development, the requirements, the technique, current indications and further possibilities of endomicroscopy.

The only book to deal specifically with constipation for specialists has been updated to include all the new advances since the first edition (1995). These advances include biofeedback, surgery for constipation, sacral nerve stimulation, the use of laparoscopy for rectal prolapse, treament and our understanding of some of the psychological problems of these patients. Innovations also include Professor Norman Williams Malone Procedure and the newer pharmacologic treatments such as nitric oxide and botulinum toxin injections.

This is the first book to specifically deal with hidradenitis suppurativa, a common but overlooked disease that regularly causes significant problems for both patients and doctors. The first section of this book presents the best current knowledge about diagnosis, pathogenesis and complications. The second section offers comprehensive guidelines on diagnosis and therapy. The book will assist doctors in providing a broader range of treatments for their patients. To increase the practical usefulness of the book, a description of the patients' perspective and patient information is included.