This book provides a comprehensive examination of the human face, providing fascinating information from biological, cultural, and social perspectives. Our faces identify who we are-not only what we look like and what ethnicities we belong to, but they can also identify what religions we practice and what personal ideologies we have. This one-of-a-kind A-Z reference explores the ways we change, beautify, and adorn our faces to create our personalities and identities. In addition to covering the basics such as the anatomical structure and function of parts of the human face, the entries examine how the face is viewed around the world, allowing students to easily draw connections and differences between various cultures around the world. Readers will learn about a wide variety of topics, including identity in different cultures; religious beliefs; folklore; extreme beautification; the "evil eye;" scarification; facial piercing and facial tattooing masks; social views about beauty including cosmetic surgery and makeup; how gender, class and sexuality play a role in our understanding of the face; and skin, eye, mouth, nose, and ear diseases and disorders. This encyclopedia is ideal for high school and undergraduate students studying anthropology, anatomy, gender, religion, and world cultures. A complete bibliography of sources and index of subjects Includes 100 images, numerous sidebars, and interesting "pop-out" quotes related to the face

This book describes the major steps by which the mammalian ear transforms sound into nerve impulses. The author leads us along the pathway followed by an acoustic signal--collected by the outer ear, augmented by the middle ear, then delivered to the inner ear where the minuscule vibrations of the sound waves are transformed into nerve impulses. At each stage, the basic mechanisms are described qualitatively in terms of current theories and illustrated with experimental data. Where appropriate, related mechanisms in the ears of other vertebrates are considered. It is shown that the mammalian ear does an exquisite job of translating sound signals into a very robust nerve-pulse code. The book concludes with descriptions of some common ear impairments and a brief survey of the treatments available for them. The text is integrated with animations of mechanical and neural phenomena available through the Internet.

Divided into two convenient sections, Protein Kinase Technologies collects contributions from experts in the field examining recent methodologies and techniques generally applicable to protein kinase research as well as to individual protein kinases which require special attention in neuroscience. These chapters will not only be practical instructions useful for readers' daily work in setting up and performing research but also thought-provoking and enjoyable reviews of recent advancements of individual protein kinases in neuroscience. Written for the highly successful Neuromethods series, this work contains the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is crucial for getting optimal results. Authoritative and accessible, Protein Kinase Technologies seeks to foster cross-talk among investigators who study different protein kinases, and will also be beneficial for the entry of new investigators into this pivotal field.

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the main neurotransmitter regulating sleep. The majority of drugs presently in use for the treatment of sleep disorders act by enhancing GABAergic neuronal inhibition. The GABA system is, therefore, of prime clinical relevance for the therapy of insomnia.

The focus of this volume is on the neuropsychopharmacology and the clinical impact of the GABA system in regulating sleep and wakefulness. It presents molecular, neuropharmacological, systems-biological and clinical approaches to the understanding of the mechanism of action of GABA and GABAergic drugs. It also explores the role of GABA in the basic drives that affect sleep, and the influences that adapt sleep and wakefulness to external events.

This book will cover the cutting-edge developments in molecular and cellular mechanobiology to date. Readers will have a clear understanding of mechanobiology at the molecular and cellular levels, encompassing the mechanosensors, transducers, and transcription. An integrative approach across different scales from molecular sensing to mechanotransduction and gene modulation for physiological regulation of cellular functions will be explored, as well as applications to pathophysiological states in disease. A comprehensive understanding of the roles of physicochemical microenvironment and intracellular responses in determining cellular function in health and disease will also be discussed.

Integrating Population Outcomes, Biological Mechanisms and Research Methods in the Study of Human Milk and Lactation is the product of the 10th Conference of the International Society for Research on Human Milk and Lactation, held on September 15-19, 2000, in Tucson, Arizona. The presented sessions at the meeting are as diverse as the volume itself. These sessions include the impact of micronutrient deficiencies during lactation on maternal and infant health, the premature infant, developmental immunology, breastfeeding in the industrialized world, and viral transmission in milk. Whenever possible, the sessions were organized to include human population research, research showing the biological underpinnings of the effects on human health, and important methodological issues. This volume is a contemporary and influential tool for human milk biologists, breastfeeding epidemiologists, biochemists, immunologists, clinical specialists, and all professionals and researchers in the field.

sCongenital heart disease is the leading cause of infant death and affects approximately one in every 100 babies born in the United States. The study of cardiovascular development has acquired new momentum in last twenty years due to the advancement of modern molecular biology and new available equipments and techniques. In Cardiovascular Development: Methods and Protocols expert researchers in the field in the field detail many of the methods which are now commonly used in the field of cardiovascular development research. These include methods and technique for using different organisms for cardiovascular developmental research, using cell and molecular biology methods to study cardiovascular development, as well as other available techniques for cardiovascular development research. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Cardiovascular Development: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid scientists in understanding new state-of-the-art techniques in the field of cardiovascular development research including in vivo imaging and Bioinformatics.

This volume is unique to the existing literature in the Peptide Nucleic Acid field, in that it focuses on comparing and contrasting PNA with other available oligonucleotide homologues and considers areas in which these biomolecules could be profitably applied to clinical and diagnostic applications. Part I of the book addresses comparative strengths and weaknesses of various nucleoside homologues. Part II of the book addresses specific translational or clinical applications for PNA and related antisense biomolecules. The editors have succeeded in presenting a balanced yet broad view of the methods available for gene targeting and modification.

Cardiovascular diseases are the most important causes of death in the world today. In adults, the most frequent heart disease is acute myocardial infarction, which can lead to sudden death. To prevent these diseases we need to fight against their main risk factors, which include smoking, lipid disorders, hypertension, diabetes and a sedentary life-style, among others. It has been demonstrated that physical exercise or sports at any age provide notable benefits and can help to decrease other risk factors and reduce the incidence of cardio vascular diseases. Exercise can be simply walking or cycling. Aerobic exercise con tributes to weight loss and also helps to control blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. It therefore plays an important role in prevention of heart diseases. Sports for young people are of great value and advisable not only because they con tribute to physical fitness but also because they help in psychological well-being. Young people should be encouraged to include general exercise, and particularly sports, into their daily activities. The following points however, should be kept in mind: I. Although winning at a sport is important, this is only so if it is achieved in natural physical conditions and with the correct training. Therefore, it is advisable to keep well away from any type of activity which artificially increases physical performance, that is, drug taking."

Traumatic brain injury has complex etiology and may arise as a consequence of physical abuse, violence, war, vehicle collisions, working in the construction industry, and sports. Cellular, Molecular, Physiological, and Behavioral Aspects of Traumatic Brain Injury will improve readers' understanding of the detailed processes arising from traumatic brain injury. Featuring chapters on neuroinflammation, metabolism, and psychology, this volume discusses the impact of these injuries on neurological and body systems to better understand underlying pathways. This book will be relevant for neuroscientists, neurologists, clinicians, and anyone working to better understand traumatic brain injury.

New and exciting biological functions are still being discovered for vitamin A derivatives, including the vast number of physiological activities of retinoids. In Retinoids: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field present the most recent technical tools with diverse techniques for both in vitro and in vivo studies. Combining biochemical, biophysical, and cell biological techniques, the book addresses topics such as the detection and quantitation of retinoids using HPLC, mass spectrometry, and fluorescence, fluorescence anisotropy of retinol binding protein, cell culture models for studying retinoid transport and the role of retinol in embryonic stem cell culture, as well as many other detailed procedures. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology(TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective subjects, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes highlighting tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Retinoids: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid beginning and experienced researchers from widely varied fields in the search to uncover even more vital aspects of vitamin A's impact on the human body.

Induced pluripotent stem cells in cardiovascular research.- TRPs in the brain.-The channel physiology of the skin."

The Stressed Heart is truly unique in concept and will provide an eXCItmg adventure to the reader no matter what his or her field of expertise and interest. The title, although quite appropriate, does not adequately indicate the range of topics considered or the rational interrelationships among them. Indeed, perhaps the most important point to be learned from the book is that a serious consideration of the response of the heart to mechanical overload, ischemia, or excessive humoral stimuli must include evaluation of each of the topics in the table of contents. The heart responds to stress through alterations in both structure and function. How these changes are brought about is the subject of the initial chapters. These consider first the normal regulation of gene expression in the heart, the rapid response to mechanical overload that leads to both quantitative and qualitative changes in the contractile proteins, and our current understand ing of the signals that might be elicited by stress and alter gene expression. One chapter emphasizes the fact that, regardless of the nature of the stress, the common denominator is a discrepancy between energy requirements and expenditure. The central role of cellular acidosis in initiating the sequence of responses to stress and the possible roles of peptide regulators of transcription and protein regulators of translation are considered in detail."

This volume describes the current state of our knowledge on the neurobiology of muscle fatigue, with consideration also given to selected integrative cardiorespiratory mechanisms. Our charge to the authors of the various chapters was twofold: to provide a systematic review of the topic that could serve as a balanced reference text for practicing health-care professionals, teaching faculty, and pre-and postdoctoral trainees in the biomedi cal sciences; and to stimulate further experimental and theoretical work on neurobiology. Key issues are addressed in nine interrelated areas: fatigue of single muscle fibers, fatigue at the neuromuscular junction, fatigue of single motor units, metabolic fatigue studied with nuclear magnetic resonance, fatigue of the segmental motor system, fatigue involving suprasegmental mechanisms, the task dependency of fatigue mechanisms, integrative (largely cardiorespiratory) systems issues, and fatigue of adapted systems (due to aging, under-and overuse, and pathophysiology). The product is a volume that provides compre of processes that operate from the forebrain to the contractile proteins."

Bilateral Communication Between the Endocrine and Immune Systems, "Volume 7" in the Springer-Verlag "Endocrinology and " "Metabolism" Series, offers the most current information and recent advances in the area of communication and regulation between the Immune and Endocrine Systems. Immune-Endocrine Interactions are reported to play pivotal roles in both activation and down-regulation of immune responses and this volume provides the most up-to-date research and findings on the immune-endocrine relationship. The contributing authors are internationally recognized experts in this area and have written chapters on such diverse topics as Interactions between the Pituitary and Immune Systems, Effects of Estrogens and Androgens on Immune Response, The Role of Sex Steroids in Immune System Regulation, and Neuroendocrine and Thymus Interactions During Development and Aging. This volume is a must for all endocrinologists and endocrinology residents.

Essentials of Medical Biochemistry, Third Edition offers a condensed, yet detailed overview of clinical biochemistry, spanning fundamentals and relevant physiologic and pathophysiologic concepts. Pivotal clinical case studies aid in understanding basic science in the context of diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, and the text illuminates key topics in molecular immunology and hemostasis. Users will find fundamental concepts aiding students and professionals in biochemistry, medicine, and other healthcare disciplines. The text is a useful refresher that will help users meet USMLE and other professional licensing examination requirements, providing thorough introductions, key points, multicolored illustrations of chemical structures and figures, fact-filled tables, and recommended reading lists. This Third Edition has been fully updated to address evolving techniques in the biological sciences, including genomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and gene therapy, among other methods. In addition, each chapter has been fully revised for current science and now features learning objectives and chapter summaries, supplemental reading, and 5 clinical case based multiple choice questions. New clinical cases have been added throughout.

In addition to its metabolic and endocrinologic effects, obesity and adipose tissue have now been shown to be associated with low grade inflammation resulting in cellular and humoral inflammatory factors of which the latter may act by endocrine, paracrine and autocrine mechanisms. These inflammatory mediators have increasingly been suggested as contributing to the obesity link to carcinogenesis and cancer promotion.

This volume of Energy Balance and Cancer will focus on recent developments and cutting edge research pointing to inflammation and inflammatory factors as key mediators of this linkage. The volume first provides information on inflammation as an important link between obesity and insulin resistance, which is in itself linked to promotion of cancer through hyperinsulinemia. The volume then covers some of the most important mechanisms by which obesity leads to inflammation, including the novel inflammasome concept, alterations in chromatin structure, circulating inflammatory factors, unique cellular interactions between adipocytes and macrophages and the direct link of dietary fat to inflammation and cancer.

Overall, this volume will provide important insight to help understand how inflammation may help modulate the linkage between obesity and cancer and serve as a platform for developing future research in this area.

Advances in methodologies and experimental models are pivotal to furthering our understanding of central nervous system (CNS) functions in mammals. "Isolated Central Nervous System Circuits" examines the application a variety of technologies to mostly active "in vitro" preparations from basically different CNS regions with a diversity of functions. From patch-clamp, multiphoton imaging, live fluorescent protein expression, or immunohistochemistry techniques to acute or 'organotypic' slices and "en bloc" preparations, this detailed volume features key protocols and examples for exciting results from the labs of renowned experts. Written for the popular "Neuromethods" series, chapters include the kind of thorough implementation advice that is vital for achieving successful results.

Comprehensive and cutting-edge, "Isolated Central Nervous System Circuits" will greatly aid scientists to further improve models and to develop corresponding models of not yet intensively studied structures such as "nucleus ruber," "superior colliculus," or basal ganglia."

Following many years when a great deal of attention was directed towards the intracellular roles of purines, there is expanding interest in the field of extracellular purinergic signalling. In this book we focus on the actions of purines in cardiovascular biology, where it is clear that they play major roles in both normal and pathophysiological conditions. Activation of different purinoceptor subtypes by purines can regulate cardiac contractility and electrical activity, modulate catecholamine-mediated responses both pre- and post-junctionally, trigger and mediate ischaemic preconditioning, cause vasodilation and vasoconstriction and enhance endothelial proliferation and apoptosis as well as inhibit platelet and neutrophil function. This book covers the cardiovascular actions mediated by the major P1 and P2 subclasses of purinoceptors and emphasizes the interactions between these two signalling systems. Cardiovascular Biology of Purines covers topics ranging from molecular and cellular to systemic and clinical. It also aims to highlight how basic advances have led to the identification of novel targets for cardiovascular therapeutic developments. We hope that our book will prove to be timely and helpful.

After yet another decade of leaming, experimenting, and inves tigating since my first book, Arterial System Dynamics, the many new medical breakthroughs and technological advances have inspired me to write this book to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical applications. The application of physical principles and quantitative approaches to the understanding of the arterial circulation and its interactions with the heart in normal and diseased conditions form the basis of The Arterial Circulation. Knowledge of the physiology and rheology of arteries, as well as all of their structural-functional corre lates, is a necessary prerequisite to the proper hemodynamic interpretatiqn of pressure-flow relations and the pulsatile transmis sion characteristics in different arteries. The natural coupling and interactions of the heart, the coronary circulation, and the arterial system necessitate analysis of alterations to global functioning. Modeling provides a tool for isolating and predicting parameter changes and is employed throughout the book. Experimental data are provided for model validations, and also for more realistic interpretations. Techniques and new methods for clinical hemo dynamic measurement and diagnosis are included to help the reader un derstand the physical principles underlying such abnormal cardiovascular functions as hypertension, stenosis, and myocardial ischemia. The progressive changes in vascular properties during aging are also discussed. Modem approaches utilizing computer mode ling and allomery are presented with selected examples, such as combined hypertension and aortic valve stenosis, and ventricular hypertrophy."

This book presents a timely collection of reviews by experts in periconception and fertilization. The book provides a good introduction for those new to the field as well as those who have worked in this field for some time, but not have been able to keep up-to-date with recent advances on the topic. The book reviews the current knowledge in this field, then focuses its attention on short-term and long-term effects of the periconception period, both from a physiological and medical perspective. Finally the volume covers the examination of the potential mechanisms involved in controlling periconception period. From the early days of discovery about the basics of the fertilization process, scientists have known that early events happening during conception play a major part in the creation of new offspring. However, until nearly a decade ago we thought these events were just concerned with the conception and nothing to do with lifelong health and welfare, or wellbeing of the offspring. Early indications from IVF in sheep and cattle suggested that the embryo culture conditions employed in the laboratory could result in unusually large and unhealthy offspring. These observations sounded alarm bells and stimulated research into the impacts of in vivo and in vitro conditions on the health of embryos and offspring. This book provides a summary of the state-of-the-art research being done to more fully understand the importance of the periconception environment.

Nervous System Actions and Interactions: Concepts in Neurophysiology approaches the nervous system from a functional, rather than structural, point of view.

While all of the central topics of functional neuroscience are covered, these topics are organized from a neurophysiological perspective yielding chapters on subjects such as information storage and effector actions. Each chapter is organized around general concepts that then are further developed in the text. The authors attempt to establish a dialogue with the reader by means of proposed experiments and open ended questions that are designed to both reinforce and question the text. This volume is intended to be a book of ideas for the novice or seasoned researcher in neuroscience.

Leading researchers are specially invited to provide a complete understanding of a key topic within the multidisciplinary fields of physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. In a form immediately useful to scientists, this periodical aims to filter, highlight and review the latest developments in these rapidly advancing fields.