The focus of this book is on mechanical aspects of skeletal fragility related to aging and osteoporosis. Topics include: Age-related changes in trabecular structure and strength; age-related changes in cortical material properties; age-related changes in whole-bone structure; predicting bone strength and fracture risk using image-based methods and finite element analysis; animal models of osteoporosis and aging; age-related changes in skeletal mechano responsiveness; exercise and physical interventions for osteoporosis.

Pediatric Injury Biomechanics: Archive and Textbook consolidates and describes the current state of the art in pediatric injury biomechanics research in the automotive crash environment. Written by the most respected scientists in the field, the objective of this ground-breaking project is to provide a comprehensive archive and analysis of pediatric injury biomechanics research; to be the go-to reference for the epidemiology of motor vehicle related childhood injury data, pediatric anthropometry, pediatric biomechanical properties, tissue tolerance, and computational models. This book provides essential information needed by researchers working in the field of pediatric injury including those involved in rulemaking activities, injury criteria development, child dummy development, and child injury interventions development. In addition to the text, a companion archive will include valuable information and tools to assist in the identification of gaps in research and future research directions.This living document will be regularly updated with current research and advancements in pediatric injury biomechanics.

From the 39th annual conference of the International Society on Oxygen Transport to Tissue (ISOTT), held in Washington, DC, USA in July 2011, this volume covers aspects of oxygen transport from air to the cells, organs and organisms; instrumentation and methods to sense oxygen and clinical evidence. Oxygen Transport to Tissue XXXIV includes contributions from scientists (physicists, biologists and chemists), engineers, clinicians and mathematicians.

The term humanized mouse in this text refers to a mouse in which human tissues and cells have been transplanted and show the same biological function as they do in the human body. That is, the physiological properties and functions of tra- planted human tissues and cells can be analyzed in the mouse instead of using a living human body. It should therefore be possible to study the pathophysiology and treatment of human diseases in mice with good reproducibility. Thus, the hum- ized mouse can be used as a potent tool in both basic and clinical research in the future. The development of appropriate immunodeficient mice has been indispensable in the creation of the humanized mouse, which has been achieved through many years of efforts by several laboratories. The first stage on the road to the humanized mouse was the report on nude mice by Isaacson and Cattanach in 1962. Thereafter, nude mice were studied in detail by Falanagan and, in 1968, Pantelouris found that these mice have no thymus gland, which suggested that the mice lack transplan- tion immunity against xenografts such as human hematopoietic stem cells. At the Nude Mouse Workshops (organized by Regard, Povlsen, Nomura and colleagues) that were held nine times between 1972 and 1997, the possibility of creating a humanized mouse using nude mice was extensively examined. The results, however, showed that certain human cancers can be engrafted in nude mice, but unfortunately engraftment of normal human tissue was almost impossible.

Growth is a complex process that is essential to life. Not only does size play an important role in the process of cellular proliferation, but body size is also a critical factor in determining which organisms live longer. Evolution has been characterised by a dramatic increase in an organism's body size, which is not only limited to the size of the brain.

Signal Transduction in Cardiovascular System Health and Disease highlights the major contributions of different signaling systems in modulating normal cardiovascular functions and how a perturbation in these signaling events leads to abnormal cell functions and cardiovascular disorders. This title is volume 3 in the new Springer series, Advances in Biochemistry in Health and Disease.

Since its ?rst description in 1942 in both serum and cerebrospinal ?uid, transthyretin (TTR) has had an eventful history, including changes in name from "prealbumin" to "thyroxine-binding prealbumin" to "transthyretin" as knowledge increased about its functions. TTR is synthesised in a wide range of tissues in humans and other eutherian mammals: the liver, choroid plexus (blood- cerebrospinal ?uid barrier), retinal pigment epithelium of the eye, pancreas, intestine and meninges. However, its sites of synthesis are more restricted in other vertebrates. This implies that the number of tissues synthesising TTR during vertebrate evolution has increased, and raises questions about the selection pressures governing TTR synthesis. TTR is most widely known as a distributor of thyroid hormones. In addition, TTR binds retinol-binding protein, which binds retinol. In this way, TTR is also involved with retinoid distribution. More recently, TTR has been demonstrated to bind a wide variety of endocrine disruptors including drugs, pollutants, industrial compounds, heavy metals, and some naturally occurring plant ?avonoids. These not only interfere with thyroid hormone delivery in the body, but also transport such endocrine disruptors into the brain, where they have the potential to accumulate.

Developmental genetic studies of the spine and linkage and family-based association studies have led to recent advances in understanding the genetic etiology of idiopathic, neuromuscular, and congenital forms of scoliosis. The book is written by leaders in genetic and developmental research on scoliosis and developmental studies of the spine.

Biomechanics applies the principles and rigor of engineering to the mechanical properties of living systems. This book integrates the classic fields of mechanics--statics, dynamics, and strength of materials--using examples from biology and medicine. Fundamentals of Biomechanics is excellent for teaching either undergraduates in biomedical engineering programs or health care professionals studying biomechanics at the graduate level. Extensively revised from a successful first edition, the book features a wealth of clear illustrations, numerous worked examples, and many problem sets. The book provides the quantitative perspective missing from more descriptive texts, without requiring an advanced background in mathematics. It will be welcomed for use in courses such as biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation and industrial engineering, and occupational or sports medicine.

The volume raises attention to the need of a completely new approach to breast cancer based on the knowledge collected on early breast cancer in the past two decades. The chapters are contributed by experts of all the fields participating in the clinical research and care of breast cancer. The practical importance of such a book is underlined by the increasing number of breast cancer cases, and also the increasing proportion of early stage-cases. The ultimate goal of the book is to point to the heterogeneous nature of the disease which is more striking and has more importance in care at the very early stages than at the more advanced stages. The book recommends the utilization of all the information provided by multimodality imaging and special pathological methods, a new classification system and therapeutic guidelines since early breast cancers should not be treated based on experience obtained with palpable tumors. No similar book has been yet released to the market. The book is written for all the members of the team participating in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer (radiologists, pathologists, surgeons, clinical and radiation oncologists), but may be useful for medical students and residents too. The chapters are illustrated with didactic pictures, and special emphasis is given to provide a peep into the practice of the special procedures for the careful examination and individualized therapy of each case.

Of the approximately 640 muscles in the human body, over 10% of them are found in the craniofacial region. The craniofacial muscles are involved in a number of crucial non-locomotor activities, and are critical to the most basic functions of life, including vision, taste, chewing and food manipulation, swallowing, respiration, speech, as well as regulating facial expression and controlling facial aperture patency. Despite their importance, the biology of these small skeletal muscles is relatively unexplored. Only recently have we begun to understand their unique embryonic development and the genes that control it and characteristic features that separate them from the skeletal muscle stereotype. This book is the most comprehensive reference to date on craniofacial muscle development, structure, function, and disease. It details the state-of-the-art basic science of the craniofacial muscles, and describes their unique response to major neuromuscular conditions. Most importantly, the text highlights how the craniofacial muscles are different from most skeletal muscles, and why they have been viewed as a distinct allotype. In addition, the text points to major gaps in our knowledge about these very important skeletal muscles and identified key gaps in our knowledge and areas primed for further study and discovery.

Traditional research methodologies in the human respiratory system have always been challenging due to their invasive nature. Recent advances in medical imaging and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have accelerated this research. This book compiles and details recent advances in the modelling of the respiratory system for researchers, engineers, scientists, and health practitioners. It breaks down the complexities of this field and provides both students and scientists with an introduction and starting point to the physiology of the respiratory system, fluid dynamics and advanced CFD modeling tools. In addition to a brief introduction to the physics of the respiratory system and an overview of computational methods, the book contains best-practice guidelines for establishing high-quality computational models and simulations. Inspiration for new simulations can be gained through innovative case studies as well as hands-on practice using pre-made computational code. Last but not least, students and researchers are presented the latest biomedical research activities, and the computational visualizations will enhance their understanding of physiological functions of the respiratory system.

Mechanical stress is vital to the functioning of the body, especially for tissues such as bone, muscle, heart, and vessels. It is well known that astronauts and bedridden patients suffer muscle and bone loss from lack of use. Even the heart, in pumping blood, causes mechanical stress to itself and to vascular tissue. With the loss of mechanical stress, homeostasis becomes impaired and leads to pathological conditions such as osteopenia, muscle atrophy, and vascular tissue dysfunction. In elderly populations, such mechanical pathophysiology, as well as the mechanical activities of locomotor and cardiovascular systems, is important because skeletal and heart functions decline and cause diseases in other organs. In this monograph, mechanical stress is discussed by experts in the field with respect to molecular, cellular, and tissue aspects in relation to medicine. Covering topics such as gravity and tissues and disuse osteoporosis, the book provides the most up-to-date information on cutting-edge advancements in the field of mechanobiology and is a timely contribution to research into locomotor and circulatory diseases that are major problems in contemporary society.

Image-Based Computational Modeling of the Human Circulatory and Pulmonary Systems provides an overview of the current modeling methods and applications enhancing interventional treatments and computer-aided surgery. A detailed description of the techniques behind image acquisition, processing and three-dimensional reconstruction are included. Techniques for the computational simulation of solid and fluid mechanics and structure interaction are also discussed, in addition to various cardiovascular and pulmonary applications. Engineers and researchers involved with image processing and computational modeling of human organ systems will find this a valuable reference.

J.A. Roth: Membrane-Bound Catechol-O-Methyltreansferase: A Reevaluation of Its Role in the O-Methylation of the Catecholamine Transmitters. D.J. Benos, S. Cunningham, R.R. Baker, K.B. Beason, Y. Oh, and P.R. Smith: Molecular Characteristics of Amiloride-Sensitive Sodium Channels. D. Pette and G. Vrbov : Adaptation of Mammalian Skeletal Muscle Fibers to Chronic Electrical Stimulation.

R. Levenson: Isoforms of the Na,K-ATPase: Family Members in Search of Function.- E. Petzinger: Transport of Organic Anions in the Liver. An Update on Bile Acid, Fatty Acid, Monocarboxylate, Anionic Amino Acid, Cholephilic Organic Anion and Anionic Drug Transport.- E. Schultz, K.M. McCormick: Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells.

This reference provides a synthesis of the whole field of vascular biology, from the latest advances in the study of the structure and function of blood vessels to recent investigations of their interaction with blood cells, with non-cellular constituants of the blood, or with cells of the neighbouring tissue. The latest results from tumor angiogenesis to the latest advances in atherosclerosis research are discussed by leading experts in the field. Together with the CD-ROM this guarantees both researchers and clinicians quick and easy access to all relevant information.

K.W. Bock: The Aryl Hydrocarbon or Dioxin Receptor: Biologic and Toxic Responses.- K. Grieshaber, I. Hardewig, U. Kreutzer, and H.-O. Poertner: Physiological and Metabolic Responses to Hypoxia in Invertebrates.- K.-W. Koch: Calcium as Modulator of Phototransduction in Vertebrate Photoreceptor Cells.

P.J. Pearson, P.M. Vanhoutte: Vasodilator and Vasoconstrictor Substances Produced by the Endothelium. L. Dux: Muscle Relaxation and Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Function in Different Muscle Types. C.C. Ashley, P.J. Griffith, T.J. Lea, I.P. Mulligan, R.e. Palmer, and S.J. Simnett: Barnacle Muscle: Ca2+ Activation and Mechanics.