This book aims to equip readers with a better understanding of neuroendocrine tumors of the abdomen and explains how to manage them optimally by making use of novel therapeutic options that represent major advances on previous treatments. The most recent advances in epidemiology, genetics, molecular biology, biomarkers, pathology, diagnostics, clinical assessment, medical therapy, and surgical treatment are presented. The information and data provided will stimulate readers to develop their personal opinions on significant issues and assist in decision making in individual patients during routine clinical practice. The book features a multidisciplinary approach and is designed to meet the needs of all physicians seeking comprehensive guidance from experts on the management of patients with neuroendocrine tumors. It will also be of value for researchers wishing to acquaint themselves with the state of the art in the field and emerging research avenues. Abdominal Neuroendocrine Tumors is published in Springer's highly successful Updates in Surgery series, which now comprises more than 20 titles.

This issue of Physician Assistant Clinics, guest edited by CJ Chun, PA-C, is devoted to Endocrinology. Articles in this issue include: Diagnosing Diabetes Mellitus; Standards of Care and Treatments in Diabetes; Antihyperglycemic Medications: Overwhelmed with Too Many Options?; Special Considerations in Choosing Diabetes Therapy; Technology in Diabetes: Are You Tech-Savvy?; Unresolved Questions in Hypothyroidism; Thyrotoxicosis; Thyroid Nodules; Obesity: "Can the Battle Be Won?"; Pituitary: The Master Gland; Adrenal Disorders: Beyond The 'Flight or Fight' Response; Calcium, Parathyroid Disorder; and Male Hypogonadism.

This book provides the reader with a multidisciplinary approach that is state of the art and reflects input from the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society and the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society. In particular, the text focuses on the pathophysiology of neuroendocrine tumors and includes a comprehensive review of the most recent developments in understanding the complex hormone and receptor signaling that is important for the future development of potent pharmacological treatments. The volume reviews the pathological grading and staging systems providing useful clinical information for the treating clinician as well as a useful reference for pathologists. The clinical management of neuroendocrine tumors is reviewed enabling the treating physician to understand the diagnostic approaches to differentiating the various types of neuroendocrine tumors. In addition, the treatments are reviewed in great detail and include novel radiological, surgical, and chemotherapeutic approaches. The reader will utilize this book as both a comprehensive and quick reference guide through the use of diagnostic and treatment algorithms. Written by international experts in their particular field of study, Management of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors will be of great value to medical oncologists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, pathologists, surgeons, and diagnostic and interventional radiologists.

This book focuses on the regulation, function and further research insights on aldosterone. Chapter One discusses the role of aldosterone in the causation of cardiac oedema and highlights areas for potential future research. Chapter Two reviews secondary arterial hypertension due to primary hyperaldosteronism. Chapter Three summarises the present knowledge about the role of aldosterone in stress adaptation with special emphasise to age-dependent changes. Chapter Four presents an overview of the effects of aldosterone, focusing on nongenomic actions in the kidney.

This astute volume brings together the latest expert research on adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas (ACPs). ACPs are histologically benign but clinically aggressive tumors exhibiting a high propensity for local invasion into the hypothalamus, optic and vascular structures. These tumors, as well as the current treatments, may result in pan-hypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, morbid obesity followed by type II diabetes mellitus, blindness, as well as serious behavioral and psychosocial impairments. Exploring in detail advances in both the understanding of tumor biology as well as clinical advances in patient management are explored in detail, this book will also look towards potential new treatment approaches. Basic Research and Clinical Aspects of Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma is the first book compiling all current research on ACPs. Mouse and human studies have unequivocally demonstrated that mutations in CTNNB1 encoding -catenin underlie the etiology of the majority, if not all ACP tumors. Genetic studies in mice have shown that ACPs are tumors of the pituitary gland and not of the hypothalamus as previously thought, and are derived from Rathke's pouch precursors. In addition, a role for tissue-specific adult pituitary stem cells has been revealed as causative of ACP. Together, these studies have provided novel insights into the molecular and cellular etiology as well as the pathogenesis of human ACP. Finally, this volume covers new treatment approaches that have been shown to be effective both in reducing ACP burden as well as reducing the morbidity associated with therapy.

Due to the resultant health consequences and considerable increase in prevalence, obesity has become a major worldwide health problem. "Obesity and Lipotoxicity" is a comprehensive review of the recent researches to provide a better understanding of the lipotoxicity-related mechanisms of obesity and the potential for the development of new treatment strategies. This book overviews the biochemical pathways leading to obesity-related metabolic disorders that occur subsequent to lipotoxicity. Chapters examine the deleterious effects of nutrient excess at molecular level including the cellular and molecular aspects of breast cancer, resistance to leptin, insulin, adiponectin, and interconnection between the circadian clock and metabolic pathways during high-fat feeding. "Lipotoxicity and Obesity" will be a useful resource for clinicians and basic science researchers, such as biochemists, toxicologists, immunologists, nutritionists, adult and pediatric endocrinologists, cardiologists, as well as students who are thought in this field.

This unique book is a comprehensive guide for healthcare providers who treat patients with complex medical conditions but lack the resources to address fertility and sexuality concerns and help patients navigate their fertility decision-making process. It presents up-to-date information concerning fertility preservation and restoration for patients with hereditary cancer syndromes, disorders of sex development, hematologic diseases, genetic disorders of gonadal dysfunction, immunologic diseases, gynecologic diseases, endocrine disorders, and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Utilizing a practical, user-friendly format, each chapter discusses the epidemiology, classification, risk factors and/or clinical manifestations, and diagnosis and treatment modalities specific to each condition, as well as the effect of it or its treatment on fertility and unique options that may exist. Complex medical conditions are inherently difficult to manage, and reproductive interventions are often not part of the conversation. As such, Fertility Preservation and Restoration for Patients with Complex Medical Conditions will be an excellent resource for primary care physicians, obstetrician/gynecologists, endocrinologists, oncologists, and other health professionals working with patients with fertility concerns. This book, together with Oncofertility: Fertility Preservation for Cancer Survivors; Oncofertility: Ethical, Legal, Social, and Medical Perspectives; Oncofertility Medical Practice: Clinical Issues and Implementation; Oncofertility Communication: Sharing Information and Building Relationships across Disciplines; and Pediatric and Adolescent Oncofertility: Best Practices and Emerging Technologies, provides scientific and medically relevant information on fertility preservation from all vantage points and is an indispensable series for those interested in fertility management in cancer or complex settings.

Iodine is an essential micronutrient and an integral component of the thyroid hormones, which are required for normal growth and development. The iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) encompass a spectrum of adverse health effects including goiter, cretinism, hypothyroidism, growth retardation, and increased pregnancy loss and infant mortality. This volume summarizes the current understanding of the effects of iodine deficiency as well as iodine excess. It also discusses best practices for salt iodization, the mainstay of global IDD prevention efforts, and other forms of food fortification. The effectiveness of iodine supplementation for vulnerable populations, an evolving strategy in many regions, is also described. Low level environmental exposure to chemicals such as perchlorate and thiocyanate, which competitively block thyroidal iodine uptake, appears to be ubiquitous worldwide. There has been recent concern that such environmental exposures might pose a health hazard by inducing or aggravating underlying thyroid dysfunction. This up-to-date volume explores both the effects of iodine deficiency as well as the best strategies for IDD prevention.

Somatic growth is a crucial component in the development of an organism. Growth is manifested in many levels during an organisms lifespan; rapid intrauterine growth is followed by extrauterine development that subsides with age. The control of growth is exerted via particularly complex and multifaceted mechanisms that affect every cell of the body, regulating the balance between the anabolic and catabolic processes, and it is intimately entwined with almost every physiological function. The central component of this regulatory system is the hypothalamo-hypophyseal axis that controls not only all of the endocrine organs of the body, but also regulates the growth of every cell via growth hormone (GH) release. It would certainly exceed the scope of the present book to summarize the growth-related complex peripheral actions of the various hormonal systems of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal axis. GH secretion is modulated primarily by the somatotropic axis, which is one of the functional components of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal axis and integrates the stimulatory and inhibitory actions of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and somatostatin upon GH release, respectively. Therefore, in the present volume we attempt to give an overview of the regulatory components of a somatotropic axis with a special emphasis on the regulatory input provided by hypothalamic hormonal and neurotransmitter/neuromodulator systems. Since it is particularly complicated to extrapolate animal data to human physiology, the authors focus on human results while animal studies are detailed only if they provide a better understanding to how growth is regulated in humans. This process has proven to be difficult due to the scarcity of human studies in this field.

Based on the most novel approaches and cutting-edge clinical and scientific information regarding radionuclide imaging and therapies for neuroendocrine tumors, this clinical guidebook represents a unique collaborative effort between endocrinologists, nuclear physicians, oncologists, surgeons, physicists, radio-pharmacists and geneticists. It begins with the embryology, classification and molecular genetics of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and carcinoids, chromaffin cell tumors, and MEN1- and MEN2-related tumors. Following a chapter on radiopharmaceuticals in neuroendocrine imaging, it turns to the physics and technology of current and cutting-edge radiology, including SPECT/CT and PET/CT and PET/MR. Discussing of radionuclide imaging covers the tumors mentioned above, as well as pulmonary and thymic neuroendocrine tumors and medullary thyroid carcinoma. A presentation of radionuclide therapies follows, including 131I-MIBG therapy, somatostatin receptor-based therapy, and alpha radionuclide therapy, as well as the role of nanoparticles. Comprehensive and up-to-date, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Nuclear Medicine for Neuroendocrine Tumors will assist and guide physicians who encounter patients with these conditions, either from a diagnostic or therapeutic standpoint, and particularly emphasizes the current and emerging medical devices and imaging and therapeutic options.

This book serves as a comprehensive resource on toxicants that can be released from food packaging materials and household plastics. Chapters include sources and levels of chemical exposure, known and suspected health effects and the identification of data gaps with recommendations for further research. In addition, regulatory approaches and risk assessment challenges in the United States and Europe are discussed. Chapters cover both the more widely known chemicals that can migrate from food packaging (bisphenol A, perfluorinated chemicals), and household plastics (lead, phthalates, brominated flame retardants), as well as chemicals that are just entering use in food packaging (nanomaterials in polymer food packaging) and chemicals recently identified as migrating from food packaging to food stuffs (phthalates, benzophenones, antimony, methylnaphthalene and the alkylphenols nonylphenol and octylphenol). Chapters on phthalates and brominated flame retardants discuss challenges that arise with the use of replacement chemicals. The health effect sections of chapters have drawn on a wide variety of toxicological endpoints and recommend approaches to better assess toxicological risks in vulnerable human populations. Reflecting the global nature of our food supply and household consumer goods, contributions have been drawn from international experts. A wide range of scientists will find this book to be useful, including toxicologists, environmental health scientists, food scientists, and regulators.

Cushings syndrome is a rare disorder that is associated with many co-morbidities such as systemic hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, impaired immune function, and psychiatric disease, all of which severely reduce quality of life and life expectancy. This book reviews the role of cortisol in the human body, focusing on the effects of excess cortisol due to Cushing's syndrome as well as the role of the HPA axis in metabolism, inflammation, and neuropsychiatric function. The volume will cover basic mechanistic data, clinical outcomes data, and novel therapies. Also discussed are everything from abnormalities of the HPA axis, to the role of the HPA axis in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders and metabolic disorders, to new definitions of Cushing's remission and recurrence. The Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis in Health and Disease will provide a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary review of the pathophysiology and outcomes of excess cortisol in the human body and brain as well as the role of the HPA axis in other disease states.

Primary Aldosteronism (PA) is a disease caused by the overproduction of aldosterone hormone from the adrenal glands. PA causes hypertension and the majority with this disease are undiagnosed for PA. There are new insights into this matter by using biochemistry as well as advanced radiology. In 2011, a breakthrough in the genetic derangements came, identifying a mutated potassium channel gene - KCNJ5 - in about 40% of PA with adenoma. Chapters in this book include a history of the disorder, epidemiology, genetics derangements, the KCNJ5 mutations and phenotype and more.

This book describes the life cycle of a unique endocrine gland that is absolutely essential for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in all mammalian species. The corpus luteum is unique because it is formed and destroyed every (non-fertile) reproductive cycle. When fertilization occurs, the corpus luteum is rescued or maintained. The processes that control corpus luteum formation, demise (luteolysis), or maintenance are just beginning to be unraveled in recent years; they involve diverse cell types and mechanisms. Some of these processes resemble tumor development-angiogenesis, for instance-but interestingly enough, this resemblance is only up to a point. The corpus luteum uses mechanisms that allow its normal, physiological growth and disappearance. Pulling together key research on the corpus luteum, this volume is of interest to both reproductive endocrinologists and comparative physiologists, with clinical relevance spanning comparative animal studies to women's health.