This volume presents 30 state-of-the-art protocols and reviews to set up and apply primary hepatocyte cultures for research and screening purposes. The first part of the book focuses on the use of these particular liver-based in vitro models to study the different aspects of the hepatocyte life cycle, including cell growth, differentiation and cell death. The second part of the book is targeted towards the demonstration of the applicability of primary hepatocyte cultures, or liver-based in vitro models derived thereof, for functionality and toxicity testing. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Protocols In In-Vitro Hepatocyte Research is intended for basic and applied researchers in the area of pharmacology and toxicology, both in academic and industrial settings.

G Protein-Coupled Receptor Genetics: Research and Methods in the Post-Genomic Era features practical techniques inspired by the fast moving GPCR field. From powerful bioinformatic tools tracing the evolution of GPCRs, to methods for the cellular transfection of engineered viruses containing GPCRs, to optogenetic techniques that produce light-activated GPCRs in live mice, what was once science fiction is now science fact. This detailed volume includes sections covering genetic mechanisms, a genetic toolbox for GPCR discovery, as well as genetic aspects of G protein-coupled receptors in health and medicine. Written for the Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology series, this book contains the kind of key implementation advice that encourages successful results in the lab. Authoritative and easy to use, G Protein-Coupled Receptor Genetics: Research and Methods in the Post-Genomic Era serves as an ideal guide for researchers aiming to continue our progress in this dynamic and exciting area of study.

Metastatic disease is the most lethal aspect of human malignancies, making the understanding and continued research of the process of metastasis a crucial step in treating cancer. The proposed book, entitled "Experimental and Clinical Metastasis: A Comprehensive Review" aims to provide a clear and extensive review of the clinical and experimental implications of metastatic disease. This work focuses on recent contributions to the field of metastasis, and will highlight crucial findings in the molecular understanding of disseminated disease as well as standard and personalized medicine currently being investigated in the clinic. Topics will include, among many, gene properties of metastatic cells, molecular mechanisms of tumour growth and spread, animal models of metastasis, and clinical implications, markers and treatment for metastatic disease. With the participation of worldwide experts in the field of oncology, from major academic and government centres, this book will provide a leading manual for the study of the metastatic process, from benchside science to bedside care. In this light, the proposed book will facilitate classroom learning for both medical and graduate students, as well as serve as a tool for physicians and researchers interested in the metastatic process. In addition, this book will include the latest advances in basic science as well as leading technologies and theories of targeting metastatic cells. Most importantly, not only will basic and clinical aspects be discussed, but furthermore, the translational aspect of research in metastatic diseases will be emphasized.

Within recent years pharmaceuticals have come into focus as contaminants of the environment (see for example Kummerer, K. editor: Pharmaceuticals in the Environment). At the same time the issue of sustainable chemistry gained momentum. Bringing both together would result in sustainable pharmacy. Sustainable pharmacy is a totally new issue and approach. It addresses environmental, economical and social aspects of pharmacy. In the present stage the focus will be on environmental issues along the whole lifecycle of a pharmaceutical entity. That is dealing with resources and energy input but also with waste issues for example during the synthesis and production of an active pharmaceutical ingredient. Furthermore, it would also look on the compounds themselves and will aim to improve the degradability of the compounds after their use in the environment to reduce the environmental risk caused by pharmaceuticals in the environment. Another issue is the people using pharmaceuticals such as pharmacists, medical doctors and patients. How can they contribute to more efficient use of pharmaceuticals with less environmental burden and less risk for drinking water. The book "Sustainable Pharmacy" will address all these issues and will be the first one dealing with this important topic.

This book is meant to provide a complete overview of the research of HPV and its connection to cervical cancer.

With more restrictions upon animal experimentations, pharmaceutical industries are currently focusing on a new generation of experiments and technologies that are considerably more efficient and less controversial. The integration of computational and experimental strategies has led to the identification and development of promising compounds. Computer Applications in Drug Discovery and Development is a pivotal reference source that provides innovative research on the application of computers for discovering and designing new drugs in modern molecular biology and medicinal chemistry. While highlighting topics such as chemical structure databases and dataset utilization, this publication delves into the current panorama of drug discovery, where high drug failure rates are a major concern and properly designed virtual screening strategies can be a time-saving, cost-effective, and productive alternative. This book is ideally designed for chemical engineers, pharmacists, molecular biologists, students, researchers, and academicians seeking current research on the unexplored avenues and future perspectives of drug design.

This comprehensive guide covers prescribing controlled substances for patients with acute or chronic pain and provides a balanced discussion on appropriate treatment, addiction, safety and complications. Chapters feature evidence-based strategies and clinical modalities that address diagnostic challenges, treatment guidance, alternatives to opioid management and the significant legal risks within the current regulatory environment. Authored by leaders in pain medicine, physicians and appropriate health care professionals will find Controlled Substance Management in Chronic Pain to be an indispensable resource.

This book will provide the latest advances in molecular and cellular biology for establishing the foundation of a complete understanding of the mechanisms of breast differentiation leading to cancer prevention. The authors are based on the epidemiological evidence indicating that early first full term pregnancy is a protective factor in human against breast cancer and they have used this paradigm and developed experimental systems in both in vivo and in vitro that have demonstrated mechanistically how the differentiation at the organ and cellular level takes place. This knowledge has provided the blueprint for developing better understanding of the basis of cancer prevention. The transcriptoma analysis of the breast of pre and post-menopausal women has established a genomic signature imprinted in the breast that differs according to the reproductive history of the woman showing that early first full term pregnancy reprogram the organ. This reprogramming takes place at the chromatin level by changing the transcriptional process. The modification of the transcriptional control is due to the expression of non coding RNA sequences and posttranscriptional control driven by the splicesome. The plasticity of the genome of the human breast make possible this reprogramming that is not only induced by the physiological process of pregnancy but by the use of hormones that mimic pregnancy without pregnancy. The author have established the basis of clinical trials for prevention and the discovery that short 15aa peptides of the chorionic gonadotropin hormone can be used in human breast cancer prevention based on preclinical and clinical data.

This second edition book explores breakthrough technologies in the field of drug target identification and validation. The volume emphasizes particularly revolutionary technologies, such as CRISPR-related screening, "big data," and in silico approaches, as well as in vivo applications of CRISPR and best uses of animal models in drug development. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Fully updated and authoritative, Target Identification and Validation in Drug Discovery: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition is an ideal guide for molecular and cellular biologists, pharmacologists, pathologists, bioinformaticians, clinical researchers, or investigators, as well as experts in other fields that need a quick overview of these state-of-the-art technologies.

Substance Use Disorders: Assessment and Treatment is a summary of everything a therapist should know about substance abuse in one easy-to-read comprehensive book. The book begins with a discussion of the pharmacology of specific drug classes (opioids, hallucinogens, etc.) and the epidemiology of abuse. It then presents psychological theories of substance abuse, the initiation and progression of substance abuse disorders, issues of prevention and early intervention, and screening and assessment for substance abuse (including specific tests for assessment) and discusses in detail the various treatment methodologies available. Two final chapters explore issues relevant to special populations and legal and ethical considerations, regarding issues such as confidentiality and coerced treatment.
Key Features
* A synthesis of the current research and clinical literature
* Includes strengths and weaknesses of commonly used psychometric assessment measures
* Presentation and review of a complete Psychosocial/Substance Use Assessment form
* Discussion of treatment settings and criteria for placement decisions
* Discussion of treatment alternatives and effectiveness of major pharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches
* Discussion of factors leading to Relapse, and components of Relapse Prevention programs

In this book, leading international experts analyze state-of-the-art advances in gene transfer vectors for applications in inherited disorders and also examine the toxicity profiles of these methods. The authors discuss the strengths and weaknesses of available vectors in the clinical setting, and specifically focus on the challenges and possible solutions that researchers are testing in order to improve the safety of gene therapy for genetic diseases. This comprehensive and authoritative overview of vector development is a necessary text for researchers, toxicologists, pharmacologists, molecular biologists, physicians, and students in these fields.

This is the ideal book for anyone contemplating starting a career in, or shifting their career to, studying the dynamics that drive cancer progression and its response to therapy. Topics include the theory and population genetics of cancers, genetic diversity within tumors (intra-tumor heterogeneity), understanding how mutant clones expand in tissues, the role of cancer stem cells in the dynamics of tumors, the evolution of metastasis, and how to improve cancer therapy by addressing the evolution of cancers in response to our interventions. There are also chapters on the patterns of cancer susceptibility in humans due to a mismatch between our modern environment and the environment in which our ancestors evolved, as well as a chapter on the evolution of cancer suppression mechanisms that have evolved in different species, particularly the large long-lived animals like elephants and whales that are better at suppressing cancers than humans. This book serves as a primer on the evolutionary and ecological theory of cancer- the framework upon which all the details of cancer may be hung. It is ideal for oncologists and cancer researchers interested in evolutionary theory, and evolutionary biologists and ecologists interested in gaining insights into cancer development and prevention.

Following 50 years of glucocorticoid use in a clinical setting, an international body of expert scientists and physicians presents the most expansive survey of glucocorticoid pharmacology to date. This work traces the history of glucocorticoid biology from the seminal description of glucocorticoid insufficiency by Thomas Addison in the mid-19th century, up to current advances in elucidating the molecular basis of glucocorticoid action. Important discoveries are presented, as well as milestones in drug development, a survey of current clinical practice, and prospects for novel glucocorticoid-based therapeutics. Scientists and clinicians will appreciate the scope of this work, which is of special interest to workers in the fields of endocrinology, inflammation and autoimmune disease.

The chemistry of phenols tends to be ignored in organic chemical textbooks and to be lost amongst the many classes of functional derivatives. This volume is not intended to provide a textbook approach but rather to give an account of developments in phenol chemistry in the last two decades.

Features of this book:

- Numerous phenolic systems have been covered in detail, e.g. phenolic propanoids.

- The emphasis throughout has been on synthesis, on what can be achieved by the use of phenolic intermediates and in the construction of phenolic end products.

- Many chapters enable the reader to refer to the original literature wherever possible.

- Various chapters provide a fund of tutorial material and problems for undergraduate studies and further, which will encourage perusal of the literature. Some 2000 references to applied and academic papers are given.

Phenols are ubiquitous substances and now it is more widely accepted that there are pros and cons connected with their usage. The pros for compounds are well-known and are illustrated by perennial panaceas such as aspirin, paracetamol, codeine, etc. The cons are less obvious because they are also materials deeply entrenched in our standard of living and in most cases inherent hazards have only recently come to light. The book will be of interest to postgraduate students in academic and industrial work.

In response to the tremendous increase in the number of protein and peptide drugs, this treatise critically reviews transport and metabolism mechanisms relating to the delivery of endogenous and recombinant proteins to mammalian organs, tissues, and cells. It will promote fruitful collaboration among academic and industrial scientists in the fields of pharmacology, cell biology, biochemistry, physiology, and immunology.

The book deals with various clinical aspects of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), which is a potent source for oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is critical for pathogenesis of diseases and CYP2E1 is a major contributor for oxidative stress. Several clinical disorders are associated with changes in regulation of CYP2E1 and the consequent abnormalities, which include alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic pancreatitis, carcinogenesis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, obesity, hepatitis C virus infection, reproductive organ toxicity, hepatocellular and cholestatic liver cirrhosis, inhibition of bone repair, cross- tolerance in smokers and people treated with nicotine, disorders of the central nervous system, changes in metabolism of protoxicants in the circulatory system and susceptibility to human papillomavirus infection. Hence, CYP2E1 emerges as a new and potent player in aggravating injury and furthering disease complications.

This fully updated volume utilizes the expertise of scientists currently engaged in immunotoxicity testing to provide the reader with lab-ready procedures and the background information needed to identify effective testing approaches. Dedicated to identifying and describing exogenous agents that can modify immune function, uncovering modes and mechanisms of action for such agents, and translating data from the laboratory and from the clinic to better predict health risks as well as benefits to those who are exposed to immunomodulatory agents, immunotoxicity testing continues to be a vital field of study, and this collection highlights both the "tried and true" methods as well as alternative protocols that have been more recently developed. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Immunotoxicity Testing: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition serves as a valuable contribution to the continued evolution and the application of immunotoxicity testing.

This volume gathers the latest exciting findings on ADP-ribosylation from renowned experts in the field. It includes ten chapters, organized into the following three thematic sections: * Evolution and detection of endogenous ADP-ribosylation * ADP-ribosylation by the ARTC family of ADP-ribosyltransferases (R-S-E ARTs) * ADP-ribosylation by the ARTD family of ADP-ribosyltransferases (H-Y-E ARTs) The book will provide readers a better understanding of ADP-ribosylating toxins and their endogenous relatives. This provides a basis for developing novel toxin-neutralizing drugs and drugs targeting endogenous ADP-ribosyltransferase relatives.

Fighting Multidrug Resistance with Herbal Extracts, Essential Oils and their Components offers scientists a single source aimed at fighting specific multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoans, viruses and fungi using natural products. This essential reference discusses herbal extracts and essential oils used or under investigation to treat MDR infections, as well as those containing antimicrobial activity that could be of potential interest in future studies against MDR microorganisms. The need to combat multidrug-resistant microorganisms is an urgent one and this book provides important coverage of mechanism of action, the advantages and disadvantages of using herbal extracts, essential oils and their components and more to aid researchers in effective antimicrobial drug discovery

Addresses the need to develop safe and effective approaches to coping with resistance to all classes of antimicrobial drugs Provides readers with current evidence-based content aimed at using herbal extracts and essential oils in antimicrobial drug development Includes chapters devoted to the activity of herbal products against herpes, AIDS, tuberculosis, drug-resistant cancer cells and more "

This book provides multidisciplinary reviews of the mechanism of action and uses of methotrexate in the treatment of cancer, psoriasis, gynecologic and inflammatory diseases. The intended audience is composed of clinicians involved in the care of patients suffering from oncologic, gynecologic, rheumatic diseases as well as scientists involved in research into the pathogenesis and treatment of these diseases. This book is unique in that it provides a single, state-of-the-art source for information regarding the mechanism and use of methotrexate in many different areas of medicine.