This book describes the recent advancement of basic research on the biology of aging and longevity studies in various organisms, as well as the neurobiology of aging and neurodegeneration mechanisms. Chapters present new findings and conceptual developments concerning the basic mechanisms of aging and longevity determination. As a follow-up volume to the previous book Aging Mechanisms (2015), it overviews the rapid progress of aging research introducing new topics from leading laboratories in Japan. Chapter contributors are selected based on recent scientific achievements on the mechanisms of aging in various model organisms, including yeast, worm (C. elegans), fly (Drosophila), mice, and rats. Chapters are ordered from the discussion on molecular and cellular levels to physiological and systemic levels. The book also provides an overview of aging science in the region and helps readers quickly grasp who is doing what in this research area. As the aging of population becomes an ever more pressing issue in Asia, advancing the understanding of basic mechanisms of organism aging and longevity determination will be crucial to developing more effective therapies and protective strategies. Researchers and graduate students in biomedical aging research will find this as a rich source of information and a stimulus to novel research directions.

Like many of us, journalist David K. Randall never gave sleep much thought. That is, until he began sleepwalking. One midnight crash into a hallway wall sent him on an investigation into the strange science of sleep. In Dreamland, Randall explores the research that is investigating those dark hours that make up nearly a third of our lives. Taking readers from military battlefields to children s bedrooms, Dreamland shows that sleep isn't as simple as it seems. Why did the results of one sleep study change the bookmakers odds for certain Monday Night Football games? Do women sleep differently than men? And if you happen to kill someone while you are sleepwalking, does that count as murder? This book is a tour of the often odd, sometimes disturbing, and always fascinating things that go on in the peculiar world of sleep. You ll never look at your pillow the same way again."

Studies over the past decade have continued to bring tremendous advances to our understanding of bone biology. New pathways have been discovered and expanded our knowledge of the ways in which genes and gene products affect bone cells and thereby bone mass and bone strength. In Bone Research Protocols, Second Edition, expert researchers in the field detail many methods commonly used to study bone biology. Focusing mainly on in vitro methods, this volume gives techniques for isolation, culture and functional analysis of all bone cell types and details a range of imaging methods, including light and ultrastructural microscopy and live cell imaging. Some important in vivo techniques are included, such as analysis of bone resorption and imaging using X rays, fluorescent or luminescent techniques. Methods for study of proteins and nucleic acid are included and methods for analysis of bone composition, measurement of bone strength, and response to mechanical stimulation are described. 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, Bone Research Protocols, Second Edition seeks to aid scientists in the bone field to establish new techniques in their laboratories.

This volume is a record of the proceedings of a festspiel held to honor Jozef F. Zwislocki for his outstanding contributions to science and to Syracuse University. His contributions to the knowledge of the hydromechanical, neurophysiological, and perceptual mechanisms of the auditory system are truly monumental. In addition, his contributions to the comprehension of the mammalian auditory system include not only landmark ideas, but also many of the experimental findings in psychoacoustics and peripheral auditory physiology that constitute the database which has provided a springboard for research in laboratories throughout the world. His efforts to link physics, biology, and psychophysics to create a basis for our understanding of the nervous system have had an influence that extends far beyond the science of acoustics.
Although the purpose of this conference was to recognize the many achievements of Professor Zwislocki, the spirit of the participants was to honor him in a manner that best characterized his lifetime dedication to research, that is, to report the results of their own work. Consequently, this volume is first and foremost a compilation of scientific papers in the area of sensory research. Some are reports of recent experiments and some present an overview of research efforts extending from the past up to ongoing work. His influence can be recognized in all of the contributions and some explicitly describe the ties between their own work and the germinal ideas planted by him. This volume, in reflecting the rapid progress being made in sensory science and written by those who are making it, is a fitting tribute to Zwislocki, who always stood at the forefront of his science.

This book covers key topics in polyamine research from a range of organisms, including plants, mammals, and prokaryotes such as bacteria and archaea. The book provides an introduction to general concepts in the field of polyamine research, as well as more detailed information. With the availability of genome sequence data from a broad range of organisms, the evolution of the genes involved in polyamine metabolism is discussed. The mode of action of polyamines has been shown to be dependent on cation channels, and this mechanism is described in the book. The origin of polyamine transporters (from bacteria, yeasts, and plants) is described. The various effects of polyamines on growth and survival are also documented. The book details the mechanisms of polyamine homeostasis and the role of polyamine molecules as precursors of secondary metabolites such as plant alkaloids and toxins derived from spiders and wasps. The role of polyamines in longevity and disease is discussed. A link between polyamine contents and cancer progression is reported, as is the use of polyamine metabolites as diagnostic markers in the initial stages of cancer. Moreover, a novel approach that utilizes the polyamine pathway of a parasite as a drug target in African sleeping sickness is described. Therefore, this book is a valuable resource, both as a textbook for undergraduate and graduate students and also as a reference book for front-line polyamine researchers.

The result of the first Appalachian Conference on neurodynamics, this volume focuses on processing in biological neural networks. How do brain processes become organized during decision making? That is, what are the neural antecedents that determine which course of action is to be pursued? Half of the contributions deal with modelling synapto-dendritic and neural ultrastructural processes; the remainder, with laboratory research findings, often cast in terms of the models. The interchanges at the conference and the ensuing publication also provide a foundation for further meetings. These will address how processes in different brain systems, coactive with the neural residues of experience and with sensory input, determine decisions.

Employing a multidisciplinary approach to phospholipid research, this work catalogues the current knowledge of this class of molecules and details the general, chemical, physical and structural properties of phospholipid monolayers and bilayers. Phospholipid applications are also covered.

This book provides an introduction to qualitative and quantitative aspects of human physiology. It examines biological and physiological processes and phenomena, including a selection of mathematical models, showing how physiological problems can be mathematically formulated and studied. It also illustrates how a wide range of engineering and physics topics, such as electronics, fluid dynamics, solid mechanics and control theory can be used to describe and understand physiological processes and systems. Throughout the text, there are introductions to measuring and quantifying physiological processes using both signaling and imaging technologies. This new edition includes updated material on pathophysiology, metabolism and the TCA cycle, as well as more advanced worked examples. This book describes the basic structure and models of cellular systems, the structure and function of the cardiovascular system, and the electrical and mechanical activity of the heart, and provides an overview of the structure and function of the respiratory and nervous systems. It also includes an introduction to the basic concepts and applications of reaction kinetics, pharmacokinetic modelling and tracer kinetics. It appeals to final year biomedical engineering undergraduates and graduates alike, as well as to practising engineers new to the fields of bioengineering or medical physics.

There are many separate groups working in gut biology, and they feel that the gut is an excellent model for investigating general problems in differentiation, growth control, stem cell biology, and regeneration and adaptive responses. There is a pressing need to define the objectives of the next 5 to 10 years, and the meeting, Part III of the Gastroenterology Symposia Freiburg 1996 (Falk Symposium No. 94), held in Freiburg, Germany, October 25-26, brought together some of these groups with a view to identifying areas which are not being utilized and need to be exploited, such as transgenic and knockout approaches, retrovirus delivery systems, and model cell/tissue systems. The main themes of the book are gastrointestinal development and differentiation, gut stem cell biology, and the control of gut growth in normal and abnormal situations. Basic research findings are related to clinical situations, and the book will appeal not only to gut cell and molecular biologists, but also to gastroenterologists interested in the potential applications of these subject areas.

Probes developments and trends in research and clinical applications of vitamin E, discussing its chemistry and biochemistry and natural occurence in nuts, seeds, whole grains and vegetable and fish-liver oils. The book covers new findings on the role of vitamin E as a biological response modifier.

A state-of-the-art summary from leading laboratories around the world of our current knowledge of the molecular biology, the physiology, and the pharmacology of the P2 receptors. The authoritative contributions cover the major aspects of these receptors, describing the relationships between physiological and pharmacological effects of ATP and other nucleotides and the various cloned P2 receptors, as well as providing an historical perspective and discussing current issues of nomenclature. They also illuminate how P2 receptor structures contribute to their function, including the physical differences underlying the pharmacological and functional variations among P2 receptor subtypes.

This volume provides a practical guide providing step-by-step protocol to design and develop vaccines for human diseases. Divided into three volumes, Volume 1: Vaccines for Human Diseases guides readers through an introductory section on future challenges for vaccinologists and the immunological mechanism of vaccines. Chapters focus on design of human vaccines for viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic diseases as well as tumor vaccines. Written in the format of the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, each chapter includes an introduction to the topic, lists necessary materials and reagents, includes tips on troubleshooting and known pitfalls, and step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols. Authoritative and practical, Vaccine Design: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition, Volume 1: Vaccines for Human Diseases aims to be a useful practical guide to researchers to help further their study in this field.

This volume introduces the concepts of income and optimal choice to the realms of brain activity and behavior regulation. It begins by developing the concept of the Income-Choice approach in the field of biological control systems, then deals with the problems of control of brain activity, and finally presents a model of behavior disturbance based on the idea that its cause is a definite and simple change in the income system of the organism. Other areas to which the proposed Income-Choice approach could be applied are also addressed including the origin of the epileptic aura and why it is a predictor of the imminent attack, the mechanism of the phenomena of "personality switching" in schizophrenics, and the possible connection between schizophrenic- like symptoms and epileptic status. Written nearly 20 years ago in Russia and now published in the West, this book will be of value to many professionals in related fields. This volume introduces the concepts of income and optimal choice to the realm of brain activity and behavior regulation. It begins by developing the concept of the Income-Choice approach in the field of biological control systems, then deals with the problems of control of brain activity, and finally presents a model of behavior disturbance based on the idea that its cause is a definite and simple change in the income system of the organism. Other areas to which the proposed Income-Choice approach could be applied are also addressed, including the origin of the epileptic aura and why it is a predictor of the would-be attack, the mechanism of the phenomena of "personality switching" in schizophrenics, and the possible connection between schizophrenic- like symptoms andepileptic status. Originally written nearly 20 years ago in Russia and now published for the first time in the West, this book will be of value to many professionals in related fields.

Measurement of Cardiac Deformations from MRI: Physical and Mathematical Models describes the latest imaging and imag analysis techniques that have been developed at leading centers for the visualization, analysis, and understanding of normal and abnormal cardiac motion with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The use of MRI in measuring cardiac motion is particularly important because MRI is non-invasive, and it is the only modality capable of imaging detailed intramural motion within the myocardium. Biomedical engineers, medical physicists, computer scientists, and physicians interested in learning about the latest advances in cardiovascular MRI should find this book to be a valuable educational resource. In particular, it is more tutorial in nature than most of the technical papers where the research was originally published. Practitioners and researchers working in the field of cardiovascular MRI will find the book to be filled with practical technical details and references to other work, enabling the implementation of existing methods and serving as a basis for further research in the area.

Presenting the work of researchers who are at the forefront of the study of memory mechanisms, this volume addresses a wide range of topics including: physiological and biophysical studies of synaptic plasticity, neural models of information storage and recall, functional and structural considerations of amnesia in brain-damaged patients, and behavioral studies of animal cognition and memory. The book's coverage of diverse approaches to memory mechanisms is intended to help dissolve the borders between behavioral psychology, cognitive neuropsychology, and neurophysiology.

A compilation of the proceedings of a conference held to honor Alvin M. Liberman for his outstanding contributions to research in speech perception, this volume deals with two closely related and controversial proposals for which Liberman and his colleagues at Haskins Laboratories have argued forcefully over the past 35 years. The first is that articulatory gestures are the units not only of speech production but also of speech perception; the second is that speech production and perception are not cognitive processes, but rather functions of a special mechanism. This book explores the implications of these proposals not only for speech production and speech perception, but for the neurophysiology of language, language acquisition, higher-level linguistic processing, the visual perception of phonetic gestures, the production and perception of sign language, the reading process, and learning to read. The contributors to this volume include linguists, psycholinguists, speech scientists, neurophysiologists, and ethologists. Liberman himself responds in the final chapter.

Provides students and researchers comprehensive, vital and robust guidelines for clinical sport testing. The new edition provides an increased coverage of special populations compared with the previous edition reflecting the increasing importance of the area Brings together internationally recognised and BASES accredited experts for each section

Measured by any criteria, research in chronobiology in general and chronopharmacology in particular has expanded rapidly in recent years. This expansion has been paralleled by an increasing recognition by those outside the field of the relevance and significance of recent developments in chronobiology. Advances in two areas have been chiefly responsible. First, application of the full range of modern techniques in behavioral, neurochemical, and molecular biology have greatly improved our understanding of basic clock mechanisms. In several species the genetic basis of the circadian clock is being progressively delineated. A complete picture of the neurochemical and neuroanatomical structure of the mammalian clock is emerging and the complex pattern of control mechanisms involving endogenous clock mechan isms and photic and nonphotic zeitgebers is being built up as a result of behavioral studies. Secondly, in parallel with these exciting developments in basic science, clinical applications are being convincingly demonstrated in the general fields of pharmacology and medicine as well as in specific areas, e.g., jet lag, shiftwork maladaption syndrome, blindness, and cardiovascular system. It is therefore an opportune time to review progress in the field of chronopharmacology and to introduce some of the exciting developments and prospects to a readership beyond the confines of the chronobiological cognoscenti. This volume is therefore aimed primarily at the pharmacologist - whether basic, applied, or clinical-who is not a specialist in chronobiology."

Vaccines against antigenically stable pathogens, or pathogens that only exist in a limited number of serotypes, have been very successful in the past and have drastically decreased the incidence and lethality of many diseases. However, when it comes to highly variable pathogens or viruses that exist in multiple serotypes, the traditional methods for vaccine development have reached their limits. This volume highlights the development of vaccines against such challenging pathogens. Novel approaches for immunogen design, including structure-guided vaccine development and vaccines targeting glycans, as well as adjuvants and animal models used for testing possible vaccine candidates are outlined and discussed in detail. Given its scope, the book will appeal to scientists in the fields of infectious diseases, microbiology and medicine.

The seventh "Oxford Conference" on Modeling and Control of Ventilation was held in the beautiful setting of Northem Ontario at the Grandview Inn in Hunstville. This meet- ing was called the Canadian Conference on Modeling and Control ofVentilation (CCMCV) to follow on LCMCV held in London, England, three years ago. The beautiful view over Fairy Lake greeted everyone in the moming and provided an ideal setting for many discus- sions about respiratory physiology and modeling. The Oxford Conferences began in 1971 when Dr. Richard Hercynski (a mathematical modeler with an interest in respiratory physiology) and Dr. Dan Cunningham (a respiratory physiologist with an interest in modeling) decided to organize a meeting "Modelling of a Biological Control System: Tbe Regulation of Breathing" in Oxford, England, in 1978. The meeting was a success, and it spawned aseries of meetings that have continued to today. A second conference was organized at Lake Arrowbead, Califomia, in 1982. After tbis, con- ferences were repeated at tbree-year intervals. My first Oxford Conference was at tbe abbey in Solignac, France, in 1985. Next, we met in tbe cabins overlooking Grand Lake, Colorado, in 1988. In 1991, we traveled to the training institute at the base ofMt. Fuji (or at least they tell us Mt. Fuji was out there--we never saw it because of a typhoon rolling through). Our last meeting was at Royal Holloway College (University of London) where we got to dine in a castle among artwork that required guards and an electronic security system.

Immunometabolism has emerged as an intersectional crossroad between metabolism and immune response. Over the past decade, it has become clear that most - if not all - immune cell functions are not separated from cellular metabolism. Although seminal works have addressed the metabolic fate of immune cells during differentiation and function, the physiological status of a given tissue is also dependent on the cell metabolism. The dialogue between immune cells and their microenvironment can also modulate cellular metabolism, which can trigger the onset and progression of a multitude of inflammation-mediated diseases. Thus, uncovering the specific characteristics of the metabolism in different immune cells types and in different conditions, can shed light into the molecular mechanisms of disease and help develop new drugs and therapeutic strategies to treat immune diseases. The edited volume Essentials aspects of Immunometabolism will give the readers a broad view on how metabolic pathways can influence many types of immune cells during activation, differentiation and function, in health and disease. Of note, the structure of the book was created thinking not only on the experienced immunologist but also on undergraduate and graduate students, physicians, and all members of the scientific community interested in this exciting field of research.

This book focusses on the latest results related to the field of bile acids as signaling molecules and describes how these receptors have become a major pharmacological target. It covers all major areas of research in this field, from genetics, chemistry, in silico modeling, molecular biology to clinical applications, offering a cross-country view of the functional role of bile acids as signaling molecules, virtually acting on all major areas of metabolism. While FXR and GPBAR1 are essential bile acid sensors that integrate the de novo bile acid synthesis with intestinal microbiota and liver metabolism, in a broader sense, BARs play a pathogenic role in the development of common human alignments including liver, intestinal and metabolic disorders, such as steatosis (NAFLD) and steato-hepatitis (NASH), diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis.

MICHAEL S. GAZZANIGA The investigation of the human brain and mind involves a myriad of ap proaches. Cognitive neuroscience has grown out of the appreciation that these approaches have common goals that are separate from other goals in the neural sciences. By identifying cognition as the construct of interest, cognitive neuro science limits the scope of investigation to higher mental functions, while simultaneously tackling the greatest complexity of creation, the human mind. The chapters of this collection have their common thread in cognitive neuroscience. They attack the major cognitive processes using functional stud ies in humans. Indeed, functional measures of human sensation, perception, and cognition are the keystone of much of the neuroscience of cognitive sci ence, and event-related potentials (ERPs) represent a methodological "coming of age" in the study of the intricate temporal characteristics of cognition. Moreover, as the field of cognitive ERPs has matured, the very nature of physiology has undergone a significant revolution. It is no longer sufficient to describe the physiology of non-human primates; one must consider also the detailed knowledge of human brain function and cognition that is now available from functional studies in humans-including the electrophysiological studies in humans described here. Together with functional imaging of the human brain via positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), ERPs fill our quiver with the arrows required to pierce more than the single neuron, but the networks of cognition."