The astounding diversity of the immune system and the complexity of its regulatory pathways makes immunology a combinatorial science. Computational analysis has therefore become an essential element of immunology research and this has led to the creation of the emerging field of immunoinformatics. This book is the first to feature thorough coverage of this new field.

Immunoinformatics facilitates the understanding of immune function by modelling the interactions among immunological components. Biological research provides ever deeper insights into the complexity of living organisms while computer science provides an effective means to store and analyse large volumes of complex data. Combining the two fields increases the efficiency of biological research and offers the potential for major advances in the study of biological systems.

This book encompasses key developments in immunoinformatics, including immunological databases, sequence analysis, structure modelling, mathematical modelling of the immune system, simulation of laboratory experiments, statistical support for immunological experimentation and immunogenomics.

The difficulties in effective application of bioinformatic tools in immunology arise at both ends of the spectrum: most immunologists have only a limited comprehension of sophisticated data analysis and applicability and limitations, while the average computer scientist lacks knowledge of the depth and complexity of biological data. The purpose of this book, therefore, is to present contributions from a multidisciplinary team of biologists and computer scientists to explore the issues related to better understanding of immune function and, in particular, to help apply new computer science methods to immunological research.

Related Novartis Foundation symposia:

247 In Silico Simulation of Biological Processes

Chair: Denis Noble

252 Generation and effector functions of regulatory lymphocytes

Chair: Jean-François Bach

In this issue of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, guest editors Deborah R. Simkin and L. Eugene Arnold bring their considerable expertise to the topic of complimentary and integrative medicine. Top experts in the field cover key topics such as ADHD, Sleep Disorders, Anxiety, Psychosis, and more. Contains 13 practice-oriented topics including anxiety, substance abuse, PTSD, obesity, eating disorders, and more.  Provides in-depth clinical reviews on complementary and integrative medicine, offering actionable insights for clinical practice.  Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create clinically significant, topic-based reviews. 

This comprehensive book thoroughly addresses all aspects of health care transition of adolescents and young adults with chronic illness or disability; and includes the framework, tools and case-based examples needed to develop and evaluate a Health Care Transition (HCT) planning program that can be implemented regardless of a patient's disease or disability. Health Care Transition: Building a Program for Adolescents and Young Adults with Chronic Illness and Disability is a uniquely inclusive resource, incorporating youth/young adult, caregiver, and pediatric and adult provider voices and perspectives. Part I of the book opens by defining Health Care Transition, describing the urgent need for comprehensive transition planning, barriers to HCT and then offering a framework for developing and evaluating health care transition programs. Part II focuses on the anatomic and neuro-chemical changes that occur in the brain during adolescence and young adulthood, and how they affect function and behavior. Part III covers the perspectives of important participants in the HCT transition process - youth and young adults, caregivers, and both pediatric and adult providers. Each chapter in Part IV addresses a unique aspect of developing HCT programs. Part V explores various examples of successful transition from the perspective of five key participants in the transition process - patients, caregivers, pediatric providers, adult providers and third party payers. Related financial matters are covered in part VI, while Part VII explores special issues such as HCT and the medical home, international perspectives, and potential legal issues. Models of HCT programs are presented in Part VIII, utilizing an example case study. Representing perspectives from over 75 authors and more than 100 medical centers in North America and Europe, Health Care Transition: Building a Program for Adolescents and Young Adults with Chronic Illness and Disability is an ideal resource for any clinician, policy maker, caregiver, or hospitalist working with youth in transition.

A timely primer on the new reality of antisense and RNA inhibition for treating a broad range of diseases. The authors show how antisense oligonucleotides are being designed and studied in relation to hypertension, various cancers, inflammatory bowel disease, brain disorders, the blood-brain barrier, and drug delivery. Highlights include RNA-based therapies for many diseases, up-to-date methods and applications, and insight into the enormous potential to provide a new generation of drugs.

Data Literacy: How to Make Your Experiments Robust and Reproducible provides an overview of basic concepts and skills in handling data, which are common to diverse areas of science. Readers will get a good grasp of the steps involved in carrying out a scientific study and will understand some of the factors that make a study robust and reproducible.The book covers several major modules such as experimental design, data cleansing and preparation, statistical analysis, data management, and reporting. No specialized knowledge of statistics or computer programming is needed to fully understand the concepts presented. This book is a valuable source for biomedical and health sciences graduate students and researchers, in general, who are interested in handling data to make their research reproducible and more efficient.

Key Advances in Clinical Informatics: Transforming Health Care through Health Information Technology provides a state-of-the-art overview of the most current subjects in clinical informatics. Leading international authorities write short, accessible, well-referenced chapters which bring readers up-to-date with key developments and likely future advances in the relevant subject areas. This book encompasses topics such as inpatient and outpatient clinical information systems, clinical decision support systems, health information technology, genomics, mobile health, telehealth and cloud-based computing. Additionally, it discusses privacy, confidentiality and security required for health data. Edited by internationally recognized authorities in the field of clinical informatics, the book is a valuable resource for medical/nursing students, clinical informaticists, clinicians in training, practicing clinicians and allied health professionals with an interest in health informatics.

In this issue, guest editors bring their considerable expertise to this important topic. Provides in-depth reviews on the latest updates in the field, providing actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize

Mesenchymal stromal/ stem cells (MSCs) represent a heterogeneous cell population with immunomodulating, tissue repairing, differentiating, migratory and angiogenic abilities, making them important tools for clinical and translational research. An understanding of the role of MSCs in modulating tumor growth provides a glimpse into their role in non-pathological tissue remodeling and potential regenerative tissue therapies. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells as Tumor Stromal Modulators is a comprehensive source for the understanding of the role of MSCs as ubiquitous connective tissue cell components, which may have both direct and indirect effects on the tumor microenvironment and potential for regenerative therapeutics for various diseases. Using cancer as a model disease, this book explores the transformative role MSCs play in the recruitment of disease cells, cell repair and immunological defenses.

Mass Spectrometry for the Clinical Laboratory is an accessible guide to mass spectrometry and the development, validation, and implementation of the most common assays seen in clinical labs. It provides readers with practical examples for assay development, and experimental design for validation to meet CLIA requirements, appropriate interference testing, measuring, validation of ion suppression/matrix effects, and quality control. These tools offer guidance on what type of instrumentation is optimal for each assay, what options are available, and the pros and cons of each. Readers will find a full set of tools that are either directly related to the assay they want to adopt or for an analogous assay they could use as an example. Written by expert users of the most common assays found in a clinical laboratory (clinical chemists, toxicologists, and clinical pathologists practicing mass spectrometry), the book lays out how experts in the field have chosen their mass spectrometers, purchased, installed, validated, and brought them on line for routine testing. The early chapters of the book covers what the practitioners have learned from years of experience, the challenges they have faced, and their recommendations on how to build and validate assays to avoid problems. These chapters also include recommendations for maintaining continuity of quality in testing. The later parts of the book focuses on specific types of assays (therapeutic drugs, Vitamin D, hormones, etc.). Each chapter in this section has been written by an expert practitioner of an assay that is currently running in his or her clinical lab.

What disease is and how it affects humans is the focus of this primer. Designed to cover the basics of communicable and non-communicable diseases, the book provides a framework for understanding the major health problems in our society. Hurster uses the Biological Laws of Disease to frame each discussion and to demonstrate how these laws relate to the prepathogenesis and pathogenesis stages of the natural history of any disease. Considerable attention is given to the roles of the individual, the community, and the government in bringing about behavior change with respect to disease prevention, detection, control, and management.

Clinical trials are an important part of medicine and healthcare today, deciding which treatments we use to treat patients. Anyone involved in healthcare today must know the basics of running and interpreting clinical trial data. Written in an easy-to-understand style by authors who have considerable expertise and experience in both academia and industry, this book covers all of the basics of clinical trials, from legal and ethical issues to statistics, to patient recruitment and reporting results.
*Jargon-free writing style enables those with less experience to run their own clinical trials and interpret data.
*Book contains an ideal mix of theory and practice so researchers will understand both the rationale and logistics to clinical trial medicine.
*Expert authorship whose experience includes running clinical trials in an academic as well as industry settings.
*Numerous illustrations reinforce and elucidate key concepts and add to the book's overall pedagogy.

Fifty years since it was first published and now fully revised, Macleod's remains the textbook of choice for medical students, junior doctors, nurses and allied health practitioners who understand that excellence in clinical examination is integral to good practice. The fifteenth edition will teach you how to take a history and carry out proficient clinical examination, in order to elicit the key clinical symptoms and signs of disease. It covers general principles, relevant history, examination and investigations for all the major body systems - and how to effectively apply these skills to specific clinical situations and prepare for assessment. Macleod's Clinical Examination is enhanced with 32 supplementary videos demonstrating key clinical examination routines described in the book, many new and revised for this edition in line with latest guidance and best practice. Primarily focused on the practical skills required by medical students and early career stage clinicians Explains the physical basis of clinical signs to aid understanding Introduces the formulation of a differential diagnosis Provides logical initial investigations for each body system Comes with access to the complete, fully searchable and downloadable eBook Enhanced sections on adapting skills to particular situations, including the challenges of remote consultation and infection control Updated text and images, to ensure the content is relevant to a diverse readership and patient population Latest clinical decision-making models to aid the learner's diagnostic reasoning 8 brand new videos produced especially for this edition covering: Obstetric examination Gynaecological examination Assessment of fluid balance Examination of the hand and wrist Examination of the foot and ankle Examination of the neck Examination of the foot in diabetes and peripheral vascular disease The timed up and go test

Alcohol, Drugs, Genes and the Clinical Laboratory provides an overview and quick reference to genetic relationships and clinical laboratory information related to the serious public health issue of alcohol and drug abuse. Written in a clear and concise manner, this book discusses the necessary information for health and safety professionals working in public health to learn about complex issues quickly to better help their patients, employees, and others affected by alcohol and drug abuse. Alcohol, Drugs, Genes and the Clinical Laboratory covers the important aspects of drugs and alcohol abuse including genetic aspects along with laboratory methods for analysis of alcohol and abused drugs with emphasis on false positive test results. The book is helpful to healthcare professionals, such as pathologists who oversee alcohol and drug testing, emergency room physicians, family practice physicians who are first healthcare professionals who identify patients susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse, and psychiatrists involved with drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. It will also be useful to safety professionals who have to assess individuals for workplace responsibilities, ranging from police and recruitment to occupational safety and occupational medicine and public health officials.

In 2012 we received a grant from the Veterans Health Administration Office of Specialty Care entitled, "Patient-Centered Model for the Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease." The grant's goals were to enhance the recognition and diagnosis of COPD and implement a Patient-Centered Model for the Management of COPD. As the work on that proposal progressed, we realized that providers did not have an up-to-date, comprehensive, easily read, "how to" manual for the management of COPD despite all the advances in COPD care that have occurred over the past 5 years. Consensus documents such as the VA-DOD Guidelines were abbreviated summaries that were rarely used. From those discussions, the concept for this volume, a COPD Primer, developed. The goal was to develop a practical book that concisely presented COPD to providers with sufficient background and explanation of the physiologic and scientific rationale for various management strategies without becoming an esoteric academic work. We hope that this COPD Primer has achieved that goal and will be a useful, practical text for practitioners and medical trainees alike. The COPD Primer begins with an examination of what COPD is; it is really a syndrome, a constellation of historical features and clinical, physiologic, and radiographic findings. However, those elements come together in many different ways to create multiple different COPD phenotypes that are only now being recognized and used to define specific management strategies. COPD research has progressed beyond the simple classification of "blue bloaters" and "pink puffers." Next, the epidemiology and economic consequences of COPD are reviewed. Bill Eschenbacher presents an approach to the patient with respiratory symptoms with detailed discussions of pulmonary function testing and how airflow limitation/obstruction is identified by spirometry and the use of lung imaging to identify individuals with COPD. Michael Borchers and Gregory Motz summarize current evidence implicating genetics, proteolytic imbalance, oxidative stress, inflammation, occupational and environmental exposures, and innate and adaptive immune function in the pathogenesis of COPD and the implication of these findings to future treatments. The single most important intervention in the prevention and treatment of COPD is smoking cessation. Shari Altum, Katherine Butler, and Rachel Juran present a practical approach to smoking cessation utilizing motivational interviewing in combination with pharmacologic interventions. Then, they expand upon these concepts to provide practitioners with convenient, realistic suggestions to encourage patient self-management in all aspects of COPD care and overall health. Ahsan Zafar reviews the natural history, recently described COPD phenotypes, and gender differences that clearly illustrate the broad spectrum of disease that comprises the term, COPD. The cover illustration highlights Dr. Zafar's creative and artistic talents. The extensive nonpulmonary aspects of COPD are reviewed by Ralph Panos in an examination of COPD's multi-organ manifestations. Next, the effect of COPD on sleep and the overlap syndrome, the concurrence of COPD and obstructive sleep apnea, and its consequences are presented. Jean Elwing examines the effect of COPD on the pulmonary vasculature with a detailed discussion of the evaluation and management of pulmonary hypertension associated with COPD. COPD's effects on psychosocial functioning and familial interactions are presented by Mary Panos and Ralph Panos. The focus of the Primer then shifts from manifestations to treatment with a discussion of stable COPD management. With the current plethora of devices for delivering respiratory medications, it is difficult for both patients and providers to sustain knowledge of their proper use. Aaron Mulhall presents a practical guide to correct inhaler use that reviews all the current devices. Folarin Sogbetun then reviews the management of outpatient COPD exacerbations and Nishant Gupta discusses the approach to the patient hospitalized with COPD. Because patients with COPD often see multiple subspecialty physicians in addition to their primary care providers, interdisciplinary communication and coordination of care is essential for their management; Sara Krzywkowski-Mohn reviews the interactions between primary and specialty care for the patient with COPD with suggestions for improved communication and care coordination. Finally, advance care planning including palliative care and hospice is reviewed with a discussion of how end stage COPD affects not only the patient but also their family and social network. This COPD Primer incorporates the knowledge that we have learned over the past several years during the development and implementation of a patient-centered model for the management of COPD. It was written with the explicit goal of assisting both the practicing provider and medical trainee in the care of patients with COPD.

In this issue of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, guest editors Drs. Paula Riggs, Jesse D. Hinckley, and J. Megan Ross bring their considerable expertise to the topic of Adolescent Cannabis Use. Marijuana use has been an ongoing problem for teens and adolescents, but with the legalization of marijuana in many parts of the U.S., accessibility is becoming greater than ever before. Marijuana use in teens can have negative physical, social, and psychological impacts, and this issue is designed to help practicing clinicians address marijuana use and abuse in their patients. Contains 13 practice-oriented topics including the impact of cannabis legalization on adolescent cannabis use; cannabis use disorder; the impact of adolescent cannabis use on neurocognitive and brain development; prevention; screening, brief, intervention, and referral to treatment; brief interventions for cannabis use disorder; and more. Provides in-depth clinical reviews on adolescent cannabis use, offering actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create clinically significant, topic-based reviews.

When people seek psychological support, formulation is the theory-driven methodology used by many practitioners to guide identification of the processes, mechanisms, and patterns of behaviour that appear to be contributing to the presenting difficulties. However, the process of formulating - or applying psychological theory to practice - can often seem unclear. In this volume, we present multiple demonstrations of formulation in action - written by applied psychologists embedded in clinical training, research, and practice. The volume covers a range of contemporary approaches to formulation and therapy that have not been considered in extant works, and includes unique sections offering critical counter-perspectives and commentaries on each approach (and its application) by authors working from alternative theoretical positions.

Clinical Research Computing: A Practitioner's Handbook deals with the nuts-and-bolts of providing informatics and computing support for clinical research. The subjects that the practitioner must be aware of are not only technological and scientific, but also organizational and managerial. Therefore, the author offers case studies based on real life experiences in order to prepare the readers for the challenges they may face during their experiences either supporting clinical research or supporting electronic record systems. Clinical research computing is the application of computational methods to the broad field of clinical research. With the advent of modern digital computing, and the powerful data collection, storage, and analysis that is possible with it, it becomes more relevant to understand the technical details in order to fully seize its opportunities.

In this issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Clinics of North America, guest editor Dr. Amrita Sethi brings her considerable expertise to the topic of Submucosal and Third Space Endoscopy. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is now recognized as one of the preferred treatment modalities for premalignant gastrointestinal epithelial lesions and early gastric cancer without lymph node metastasis. ESD techniques require advanced skills, and this issue brings together top experts in the field who provide the information endoscopists need to improve these skills. Contains 15 practice-oriented topics including building the toolbox of devices to optimize a practice in submucosal endoscopy; understanding the principles of electrocautery for submucosal endoscopy; endoscopic submucosal dissection in the colon and rectum; techniques for peroral endoscopic myotomy, from mouth to anus; management of adverse events of submucosal endoscopy; and more. Provides in-depth clinical reviews on submucosal and third space endoscopy, offering actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create clinically significant, topic-based reviews.

This book provides an overview of multiple facets of ageing and its evolving dynamics in various Indian states. It elaborates on key dimensions like health, dependence and disability, as well as living arrangements for the elderly. Drawing on information from National Sample Surveys to offer readers a broader and richer understanding of the evolving demographic reality in India, the book addresses a range of detailed policies and programmes for the elderly in India. Given its scope, the book is essential reading for students and researchers in the fields of sociology, demography, economics and development studies. It also offers a valuable reference guide for anyone engaged in planning and policy formulation for social security, welfare of the aged or mainstreaming ageing concerns.

The clinical approaches to the chronic degenerative diseases that drain our resources, and compromise our well-being, have become almost exclusively symptom-focused. The common wisdom is that they are idiopathic with final outcomes to be managed rather than prevented or cured. That they are potentially reversible rarely enters any discussion between doctor and patient. Reversibility of Chronic Disease and Hypersensitivity, Volume 5: Treatment Options of Chemical Sensitivity, the final volume of this set, offers a much different perspective on chronic degenerative disease; one that disputes the idiopathic label attached to most, as well as the usual fatalistic prognosis.

With increasing urgency, decisions about the digitalized future of healthcare and implementations of new assistive technologies are becoming focal points of societal and scientific debates and addresses large audiences. Decisions require a careful weighing of risks and benefits and contextualizing in-depth ethical analysis with robust empirical data. However, up to now, research on social assistive technologies is mostly dispersed over different academic fields and disciplines. A comprehensive overview on discussions regarding values at stake and ethical assessment of recent developments especially in healthcare is largely missing. This publication initiates an interdisciplinary discourse on ethical, legal and social implications of socially assistive technologies in healthcare. Contributions include perspectives from nursing science, social sciences, philosophy, medical ethics, economics and law to present an - to our knowledge - first and comprehensive overview on different aspects of the use and implementation of socially assistive technologies from an ethical perspective. It combines practically relevant insights and examples from current research and development with ethical analysis to uncover exemplary moral tipping points between promotion of participation or well-being and risks and damages to these values. Healthcare professionals involved in implementation of smart technologies as well as scholars from the field of humanities, nursing and medicine, interested in the discussions on ethics and technology in healthcare, will benefit from this new contribution. The publication is part of the international DigitAs conference "Aging between Participation and Simulation - Ethical Dimensions of Socially Assistive Technologies" held at the Institute of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine (Ruhr University Bochum) from 4 February to 8 February 2019. Within this framework, twelve young scholars were invited to discuss their contributions with renowned experts in the field. The Institute of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine is one of the leading institutes in empirically informed ethical analysis in healthcare and medicine and is a member of the European Association of Centres of Medical Ethics (EACME).

The respiratory tract has been used to deliver biologically active chemicals into the human body for centuries. However, the lungs are complex in their anatomy and physiology, which poses challenges to drug delivery. Inhaled formulations are generally more sophisticated than those for oral and parenteral administration. Pulmonary drug development is therefore a highly specialized area because of its many unique issues and challenges. Rapid progress is being made and offers novel solutions to existing treatment problems. Advances in Pulmonary Drug Delivery highlights the latest developments in this field.

The scope and significance of cytoplasmic inheritance has been the subject of one of the longest controversies in the history of genetics. In the first major book on the history of this subject, Jan Sapp analyses the persistent attempts of investigators of non-Mendelian inheritance to establish their claims, in the face of strong resistance from nucleo-centric geneticists and classical neo-Darwinians. A new perspective on the history of genetics is offered, as he explores the oppositions which have shaped theoretical thinking about heredity and evolution throughout the century: materialism/vitalism, reductionism/holism, preformation/epigenesis, neo-Darwinism/neo-Lamarckism, gradualism/saltationism.

This volume provides a selection of chapters on new developments in various areas of clinical medicine, including dental, surgery, and general practice. These scientific chapters analyze the diagnostic processes and inform of new and novel diagnostic techniques. This book is divided into two sections; the first section contains review papers and includes an overview of experimental and clinical medicine, explaining its history to modern times. The second section presents a selection of original research papers from respected authors on a variety of topics.