Central autonomic circuits in the brain and spinal cord are essential to vertebrate life: they control all basic bodily functions, including blood pressure, body temperature regulation, digestion, and reproduction.
Edited by two experts in the field, Ida Llewellyn-Smith and Anthony Verberne, and extensively illustrated, the second edition of Central Regulation of Autonomic Functions presents the extraordinary advances that have been made over the last 20 years in the understanding of how the central nervous system controls autonomic functions.
Written in a clear and readable manner by an international collection of neuroscientists and physiologists, and nine chapters describe central autonomic circuits from the cerebral cortex to the periphery. Eight more chapters address specific bodily functions and their control by central autonomic circuits. Two additional chapters discuss cardio-respiratory integration and regulation of autonomic function by visceral and somatic afferents. All of the chapters are up-to-date and cover topics such as the central autonomic regulation of airways, gastrointestinal function, energy homeostasis, body temperature, and sexual function, reflecting the latest research.
One of the only texts to provide the whole story of how the brain controls basic bodily functions that are critical for life, Central Regulation of Autonomic Functions will be essential reading for graduate students and researchers in neuroscience, anatomy, pharmacology and physiology as well as a valuable reference work for established workers in the field.

This book provides an up-to-date review of the fundamentals of lipid metabolism and its role in cardiovascular diseases. Focusing on lipid transfer proteins in the circulation and cells, the role of important lipid transporters, the effect of recently discovered lipid binding proteins, and the link between lipid metabolism disorders and cardiovascular diseases, it covers phospholipid transfer protein, cholesteryl ester transfer protein, lipopolysaccharide binding protein, microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, ABC binding cassette members, and more. The book offers graduate students and researchers a coherent overview of lipid transfer and transport, as well as the limitations of current research in the field, and promotes further studies on cardiovascular diseases, as well as pharmaceutical research on drug discovery based on lipid transfer, transport, and binding.

Saliva as a unique sample for health assessment is gaining attention among researchers of different fields in the last 20 years; being reflected in an impressive increase in the number of papers published studying saliva from different biological aspects in human and veterinary species. Once deemed merely a digestive juice is now considered a biological fluid capable of communicating information about physiopathological processes occurring in organisms, since saliva has been shown to contain molecular and bacterial compounds that can change in response to local and systemic pathologies. Furthermore, the interest of saliva as a diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring biofluid is forced by its non-invasive nature being of easy and inexpensive sampling, involving only minimal discomfort and allowing the collection of multiple/repeated specimens at anytime, anywhere and without need for specialized staff. In this contributed volume, the authors bring together, summarize and reflect the generated knowledge about saliva as a source of biomarkers for health and welfare evaluation in humans and animal models. This volume also highlights the importance of confounding factors, such as sampling methods, flow, total protein content, contamination, or storage. This book will serve as a manual for graduates, practitioners and researchers by providing general ideas about the possibilities and utilities of saliva in clinical practice or investigation, and indicating the main cautions each should have in mind before saliva usage.

This is the first textbook solely dedicated to the study of exocrine glands and cells throughout the human body. Students will gain a broad overview of the whole exocrine system, it's structural features and learn to understand it's integral parts in almost all bodily functions. Taking a systemic approach, the author guides readers through the different organ sites, shapes, methods of secretion and their secretory products. Starting with the glands of the integument, which is covering the outside of the body, the chapters proceed to also discuss the urinary tract, respiratory, digestive and reproductive systems. Various levels of complexity, from single goblet cells to the major organs, are thoroughly explained. A basic knowledge in histology is advantageous, for the numerous and rich illustrations. With its inviting writing style, this textbook is a perfect learning tool for students in Physiology and Medicine - particularly considering Dentistry, Dermatology, Gastroenterology and Pulmonology.

TRP channels play a key role in sensory physiology and have been the focus of intensive investigation in recent years. The proposed book will be a comprehensive, detailed overview of the ways in which TRP channels are involved in a wide variety of sensory modalities. Authors will explore the involvement of TRP channels in photo transduction (sight), chemotransduction (taste and odor), mechanotransduction (touch and hearing), thermo transduction (the sensation of temperature) and pain perception. Furthermore, the book will include some grounding chapters such as one on the history of TRP channel research, one on the biophysical characteristics of the proteins and one on trafficking and post-translational regulation.

Knowledge of cardiac ion channels and transporters has advanced remarkably in the last two decades with the development of patch-clamp and molecular biological techniques. This textbook offers a comprehensive overview of structures and functions of ion channels and transporters in the heart. Readers are first introduced to the molecular biology and electrophysiology of all the important ion channels. After discussing their developmental changes, the pharmacology and pathophysiology of clinically-relevant ion channels are reviewed. Molecular aspects of the cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and intracellular Ca2+ regulation by ion transporters are also described. The book will be useful to electrophysiologists, cardiac physiologists and pharmacologists, and molecular biologists interested in ion channels at all levels. For research specialists, the book will provide a perspective of the field. The book can be used as a reference source for working scientists in the fields of ion channels, biophysics, cardiac electrophysiology, and pharmacology. It is aimed at graduate and medical students, designed for use as a textbook for graduate and medical courses.

Neurocognitive Mechanisms of Attention: Computational Models, Physiology, and Disease States describes the brain mechanisms underlying the attention control system, how those mechanisms are examined, how they operate in different disease states, and methods for improving them. Conceptual models of attention further explore their functional operation. Coverage includes the different types of attention, processing paths, brain anatomy, and attention's role in memory and movement. Factors affecting attention are explored including nutrition, exercise, and genetics. Neurocognitive disorders impacting attention are discussed including autism, ADHD, OCD, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease. Assessment methods and treatments are uniquely set against the backdrop of current conceptual, computational, and oscillatory-based models to encourage researchers to pursue continued development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

Now in its second edition, this comprehensive handbook provides a state-of-the-art overview of recent advances in drug and non-drug therapies for obesity and diabetes. It also addresses major comorbidities, covering topics such as, cardiovascular diseases, renal and neuropsychiatric disorders, appetite control and micro RNAs. Special attention is also devoted to pediatric care, including the latest recommendations for therapy and prevention. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are among the top global health-care budget concerns worldwide and impact professional practice at all levels: in hospitals, clinics and physicians' offices alike. They prominently feature in headlines, and virtually no family, community or country is exempt from their protean, deleterious consequences. Furthermore, given the multiple intersections in their pathways, they often go hand in hand. The good news is that scientific advances in all fields, including genomics, metabolomics, lipidomics and microbiomics, are increasing our understanding of these two disease areas. At the same time, artificial intelligence, machine learning, mobile health and advanced implantable and external devices are rendering prevention and management more available, safe and cost-effective. In addition, bariatric and metabolic surgery has evolved from a niche specialty to an officially endorsed option for several modalities of obesity and diabetes. This book presents the latest lifestyle, pharmacological, surgical and non-surgical treatment options, including endoscopic intervention and cell therapy. Objectively reviewing natural and artificial sweeteners and critically examining issues such as public health initiatives, government mandated taxes for unhealthy foods and environmental planning, no stone is left unturned in gathering the latest practical information. As such, the book will appeal to seasoned specialists, as well as students and healthcare professionals in training.

This text for students and researchers, takes an interdisciplinary approach to describing the chemistry and physics of materials, their biocompatibility, and the consequences of implantation of devices made of these materials into the human body. The reader is introduced to the principles of polymer science and the study of metals, ceramics and composites, and also to the basic biology required to understand the nature of the host-transplant interface. Topics covered in this book include the macromolecular components of cells and tissues, self-assembly processes, biological cascade systems, microscopic structure of cells and tissues, immunology, transplantation biology, and the pathobiology of wound healing. Topics covered in the materials science chapters include the structures and properties of polymers, metals, ceramics and composites, and the processes for forming materials as well as the pathobiology of devices. The final two chapters deal with tissue engineering and the relations between the biology of cells and tissue transplantation, and the engineering of tissue replacements using passaged cells.

This book provides a comprehensive, organized, and concise overview of xenobiotic metabolic enzymes and their health implications. The subjects addressed are broad in scope with an emphasis on recent advances in research on biochemical and biomedical aspects of these enzymes. The xenobiotics discussed include not just drugs, but also food, smoke, and other environmental chemicals. The subjects covered in this work include: metabolic enzymes and their catalyzed reactions, reactive intermediates generated from metabolic activation, oxidative stress mediated by electrophilic reactive intermediates, bioactivation - mediated cellular and functional damages, activation of Nrf2 - ARE pathway, genetic variations affecting metabolic enzyme expression, enzyme polymorphisms affecting xenobiotic - mediated toxicity, induction of metabolic enzymes for health benefits, and a diversity of metabolic enzyme modulators.

The obesity epidemic has generated immense interest in recent years due to the wide-ranging and significant adverse health and economic consequences that surround the problem. Much attention has been focused on behaviors that lead to obesity, in particular to over consumption of energy-dense food and to sedentary lifestyle. However, obesity is an extremely complex condition with poorly defined pathogenesis. Thanks to greatly enhanced research in the area, the discovery of pathways in the brain and peripheral organs that mediate energy homeostasis has provided a framework for understanding the biological basis of obesity. Metabolic Basis of Obesity adds an important new dimension to the growing literature on obesity by offering a comprehensive review of specifically how metabolic imbalance culminates in obesity. Developed by a team of expert authors, this important title discusses the principles of energy balance, genetics of body weight regulation, hormones and adipokines, and metabolic pathways in the brain, liver, muscle and fat, to name just several of the areas covered. The book also examines the connection between obesity and diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other complications. Current and future diagnostic and treatment strategies are also reviewed. Comprehensive and timely, Metabolic Basis of Obesity is an essential reference for understanding the burgeoning problem of obesity.

From an expert in pulmonary medicine, the story of our extraordinary lungs, the organ that both explains our origins and holds the keys to our future as a species We take an average of 7.5 million breaths a year and some 600 million in our lifetime, and what goes on in our body each time oxygen is taken in and carbon dioxide expelled is nothing short of miraculous. "Our lungs are the lynchpin between our bodies and the outside world," writes Dr. Michael Stephen. And yet, we take our lungs for granted until we're incapacitated and suddenly confronted with their vital importance. In Breath Taking, pulmonologist Michael Stephen takes us on a journey to shed original and much-needed light on our neglected and extraordinary lungs, at a most critical societal moment. He relates the history of oxygen on Earth and the evolutionary origins of breathing, and explores the healing power of breath and its spiritual potential. He explains in lay terms the links our lungs have with our immune system and with society at large. And he offers illuminating chronicles of pulmonary research and discovery--from Galen in the ancient world to pioneers of lung transplant--and poignant human stories of resilience and recovery--from the frantic attempts to engage his own son's lungs at birth to patients he treats for cystic fibrosis today. Despite great advances in science, our lungs are ever more threatened. Asthma is more prevalent than ever; rising stress levels make our lungs vulnerable to disease; and COVID-19 has revealed that vulnerability in historic ways. In this time, Breath Taking offers inspiration and hope to millions whose lungs are affected and vital perspective to us all.

This book offers a survey of the state of the art in the field of motion sickness. It begins by describing the historical background and the current definition of motion sickness, then discusses the prevalence among individuals, along with the physiological and psychological concomitants of the disorder. It reviews the incidence of motion sickness in numerous provocative motion environments and discusses various personal factors that appear to influence this aspect. Various characteristics of provocative motion stimuli are also described, together with the results of studies conducted in the laboratory, on motion simulators and at sea. Laboratory tests that could potentially be used to assess an individual's susceptibility to motion sickness and his or her ability to adapt to motion environments are presented in detail, together with the ways in which individuals might be trained to prevent motion sickness or more effectively cope with motion environments. In closing, the book reports on the cognitive-behavioral approach developed by the author (Dobie, 1963) as well as the various desensitization programs employed in military settings, and discusses the relative effectiveness of these methods in comparison to cognitive-behavioral counseling.

This comprehensive Monograph examines all peripheral and central mechanisms of regulating the secretion of milk from the lactating breast. The author reviews the complete female breast development, starting with the early childhood, up to pregnancy and lactation. Structural and ultrastructural data on the alveolar-ductal system, together with details of breast innervation, are used to investigate the physiological process of lactation. Readers will appreciate the special focus on reflexes, both in the child and the mother, that help to regulate maternal milk production and secretion. Following this, the author sheds a light on the composition and dynamics of milk components during the different periods of lactation. The final section of this volume focusses on practical aspects of modern breastfeeding, like the use of breast pumps or galactogogues, to influence the productivity of milk production. These fundamental principles and structural details will be particularly useful for physiologists and clinicians working in gynecology and pediatrics.

The principal objective of this book is to provide information needed to define human thermal behavior quantitatively. Human thermal physiology is defined using mathematical methods routinely employed by physicists and engineers, but seldom used by physiologists. Major sections of the book are devoted to blood flow, sweating, shivering, heat transfer within the body, and heat and mass transfer from skin and clothing to the environment. Simple algebraic models based on experimental data from a century of physiological investigation are developed for bodily processes. The book offers an invaluable source of information for physiologists and physical scientists interested in quantitative approaches to the fascinating field of human thermoregulation.

This book presents original articles that report on new approaches and developments involving pulmonary disorders. Pulmonary health attracts public concern as lungs are the first line of defense of the organism against various contagions and are directly influenced by all too often unhealthy constituents of ambient air, which make them vulnerable to diseases. The articles deal with the pathogenic background and most relevant practical aspects of the widespread pulmonary disorders. Topics include the mechanisms and treatment options of sleep apnea syndrome, occupational exposure to carbon dioxide, and the research on prognostic factors in lung cancer. Another theme tackles quality of life in chronic pathologies and the psychosocial factors, often underestimated, having influence on lung function already in adolescence, and thus liable to shape adult pulmonary morbidity. Reports on the course of recent influenza outbreaks and a rather dismal state of anti-influenza measures top off the content. The volume is addressed to clinicians and researchers, pulmonary doctors, and other professionals engaged in patient care and therapy.

This volume of the series Cardiac and Vascular Biology presents the most relevant aspects of vascular mechanobiology along with many more facets of this fascinating, timely and clinically highly relevant field. Mechanotransduction, mechanosensing, fluid shear stress, hameodynamics and cell fate, are just a few topics to name. All important aspects of vascular mechanobiology in health and disease are reviewed by some of the top experts in the field. This volume, together with a second title on cardiac mechanobiology featured in this series, will be of high relevance to scientists and clinical researchers in the area of vascular biology, cardiology and biomedical engineering.

This book explores how lighting systems based on LED sources have the ability to positively influence the human circadian system, with benefits for health and well-being. The opening chapters examine the functioning of the human circadian system, its response to artificial lighting, potential health impacts of different types of light exposure, and current researches in circadian photometry. A first case study analyzes the natural lighting available in an urban interior, concluding that it is unable to activate the human circadian system over the entire year. Important original research is then described in which systems suitable for artificial circadian lighting in residential interiors and offices were developed after testing of new design paradigms based on LED sources. Readers will also find a detailed analysis of the LED products available or under development globally that may contribute to optimal artificial circadian lighting, as well as the environmental sensors, control interfaces, and monitoring systems suitable for integration with new LED lighting systems. Finally, guidelines for circadian lighting design are proposed, with identification of key requirements.

A New York Times bestseller and a Book of the Year for the Evening Standard and The Times.

Is getting a little less comfortable the key to living a happier, healthier life?

When journalist Scott Carney came across a picture of a man in his fifties sitting on a glacier in just his underwear, he assumed it must be a hoax. Dutch guru Wim Hof claimed he could control his body temperature using his mind and teach others to do the same. Sceptical, Carney signed up to Hof’s one-week course, not realising that it would be the start of a four-year journey to unlock his own evolutionary potential.

From hyperventilating in a Polish farmhouse to underwater weight training in California, and eventually climbing Mt Kilimanjaro wearing just shorts and running shoes, Carney travelled the world testing out unorthodox methods of body transformation and discovering the science behind them.

In What Doesn’t Kill Us he explains how getting a little less comfortable can help us to unlock our lost evolutionary strength.

A superb collection of time-tested, key techniques for investigating nervous system function, as well as the actions of drugs on the nervous system. The methods range from authoritative treatment of such well-established techniques as recording electrical activity in the brain, to practical coverage of state-of-the-art methods, including neural transplantation and antisense technology. The techniques described are particularly suitable for studying the mechanisms of action of psychotropic drugs and drugs of abuse, as well as the etiology and pharmacotherapy of neuropsychiatric diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. Several of the methods detailed are highly useful in screening potential drugs for the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Major advancements in the field of in situ molecular pathology have occurred since publication of the first edition. In Situ Molecular Pathology and Co-expression Analyses, Second Edition, continues to teach both the molecular basis for the improvements and the actual protocols. This is the unique feature that separates it from the pack of other "cook-book" type approaches. The fields of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry have expanded rapidly where computer-based analyses systems have greatly expanded the power of these methods. Further, knowledge of the marked improvements in the reagents themselves since the first edition can make the difference of excellent versus misleading data. The automated platforms require that researchers and diagnostic biomedical investigators have a good understanding of the basics of in situ based tests, protocols, and biochemistry for troubleshooting in order to maximize the use of these platforms. This second edition focuses attention on straightforward protocols used to simultaneously detect two or more proteins/nucleic acids within intact tissue by doing co-expression analyses. Practicing molecular pathologists, diagnostic pathologists, laboratory directors, and toxicologists, as well as clinicians and researchers in training, will benefit from this clear presentation of protocols and theoretical framework. Data derived from in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry.

This text is an updated and expanded technical summary of all the electrodiagnostic techniques available in the clinical neurophysiology laboratory. It includes descriptions of the nerve to be studied, the stimulation procedure, technical comments and results of previous studies. The book also includes nearly 40 new drawings and new sections on evoked responses, motor unit potential studies and other tests. This comprehensive reference should be of use to every laboratory and physician who performs electrodiagnosis or refers patients. This book is intended for neurologists, rehabilitation medicine specialists, neurophysiologists.

The book is a compendium of the aforementioned subclass of models of Basal Ganglia, which presents some the key existent theories of Basal Ganglia function. The book presents computational models of basal ganglia-related disorders, including Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and addiction. Importantly, it highlights the applications of understanding the role of the basal ganglia to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. The purpose of the present book is to amend and expand on James Houk's book (MIT press; ASIN: B010BF4U9K) by providing a comprehensive overview on computational models of the basal ganglia. This book caters to researchers and academics from the area of computational cognitive neuroscience.

Taurine, or 2-aminoethane sulfonic acid, has long been known to be the major organic product formed from the breakdown of the sulfur-containing amino acids, methionine and cysteine. It is excreted as such in the urine or as bile acid conjugates in the bile. Research over the last 25 years, however, has uncovered an amazing variety of phenomena involving taurine. Despite the fact that the mechanism of action of taurine in some of these phenomena remains to be elucidated, it is clear that taurine is of far more physiological relevance than being the mere metabolic debris of sulfur amino acid catabolism. It also has numerous pharmacological actions that are beginning to be developed, as exemplified by some of the studies reported in this volume. This volume reports the proceedings of the latest of a series of international symposia, continuing on from the initial meeting held in Tucson, Arizona, in 1975. The latest symposium was the first to be held in Germany, in Cologne from August 29 through September 1, 1993. It continued the multidisciplinary approach that has been the norm for taurine symposia. We hope the publication of the proceedings will stimulate further investigations on this simple but fascinating compound.

This book gives an up-to-date account of the current knowledge of cold adaptation in animals, including phenomena like hibernation, daily torpor, thermoregulation and thermogenesis, metabolic regulation, freeze tolerance, anaerobiosis, metabolic depression and related processes. For the next four years - until the 12th International Hibernation Symposium - it will serve as a state-of-the-art reference source for every scientist and graduate student working in these areas of physiology and zoology.