This volume addresses up-to-date light microscopy approaches and toolsets offered for live- or fixed-cell observations. The imaging strategies discussed in this book include confocal laser scanning and spinning disk confocal microscopy, FRET, FRAP, and laser microsurgery experiments. Chapters also describe the use of these imaging methodologies to study properties of a multitude of biomolecular targets in a broad range of model systems ranging from bacteria over tissue to whole animal imaging. Light Microscopy: Methods and Protocols puts special focus on system instrumentation parameters and sophisticated labeling and detection methods. 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, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and thorough, Light Microscopy: Methods and Protocols offers the novice user with straightforward strategies to address biological questions, while providing the experienced researcher with the latest applications that can be useful in routine practices. This book also serves as a useful teaching manual in practical courses on light microscopy.

The first book in the newly created book series, Computer-Aided Drug Discovery and Design, focuses on the computational aspects of early drug discovery, drug target identification, and validation. It revises current classical paradigms in target and phenotypic-based drug design with still ingrained approximations and concepts and discusses the research in the new network approach concept that include kinetic selectivity and metabolic analysis. Many often-overlooked approximations and concepts in drug discovery are fully covered. Drug Target Selection and Validation includes both introductory sections and research-based sections to be of use to both students and research scientists in drug discovery, design, kinetics and metabolic analysis. Pharmaceutical scientists, pharmaceutics, drug developers, pharmacologists, biomedical researchers in computer science, medicinal chemists, and precision medicine developers benefit from the information provided. The book concludes with a chapter on chemical and structural databases.

The Symposium on "Transport through Membranes : Carriers. Channels and Pumps" Inaugurates the third decade of the Jerusalem Symposia. It enlarges substantially their conceptual scope by Introducing a new subject not treated there previously. In fact. It Is a topic particularly well suited for the general object of these International meetings which Is to reassemble In an exhaustive Interdisciplinary discussion chemists. physicists and biologists. theoreticians and experimentalists. The main theme of the Symposium was the presentation and evaluation of the most up-to-date data on the structural and dynamic aspects of transport through membranes within the three main pathways: through carriers. channels and pumps. This goal was fully achieved thanks to the participation of a most outstanding assembly of world's experts In the field. We wish to thank Madame Pullman. the real organizer and mainspring of this meeting. for having composed a most exciting and excellent program and for carrying It out successfully. As the twenty preceding ones this Symposium was held under the auspices of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It was sponsored by the Instltut de Blologle Physlco Chimique. Fondatlon Edmond de Rothschild of Paris. We wish to express once again our gratitude to the Baron Edmond de Rothschild for his constant and generous support which makes this continuous endeavour possible.

Most of the world's experts on prions met for a workshop in Erice in August 1996. The aim of the workshop was to discuss the fundamentals of the science ofprions. It was for tunate that so many could be present given the pressure that they were under because of the data presented in March 1996, indicating that Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, BSE or Mad Cow Disease, had penetrated the species barrier and was beginning to cause a new dis ease in humans--the new variant ofCreutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, nvCJD. This important and urgent subject became an additional major topic at the workshop. This is a book containing most of the talks plus the abstracts of those unable to find time to write up their talks. Almost all papers were written in the spring and summer of 1997 and contain material added after the workshop; thus Bob Will's paper on the new variant of cm contains data up to July 1997 and four contributions arrived in October 1997. In addition to the talks given at our workshop, there was a special joint session with the Planetary Emergencies Workshop where many distinguished scientists, including three Nobel laureates, discussed major issues affecting our planet. Six talks were given by us to this other workshop, five about prions, BSE, and nvCJD, and one on the broader issue of new epi demics by Luc Montagnier. Although most of the talks concerned research issues, there were a few special talks."

This updated volume reflects new and evolved techniques to study detection, profiling, and manipulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) in plants and animals. After overviews of how best to detect, identify, and validate microRNAs, the book continues by exploring state-of-the-art protocols for microRNA detection, approaches to profile the expression level of microRNAs, spatial expression analysis, describe in silico analysis of microRNAs and their targets, as well as protocols for functional analysis of microRNAs and their targets by CRISPR/Cas. 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 and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, MicroRNA Detection and Target Identification: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

This book is based on an international symposium titled "Cytochrome oxidase in energy metabolism and Alzheimer's disease," held as a satellite to the 27th meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, 1997. The symposium was dedicated in honor of Dr. Margaret T. T. Wong-Riley because, in our opinion, the cytochrome oxidase histo chemical method introduced by Dr. Wong-Riley in 1979 was the most significant break through to map energy metabolism in the entire brain since the 2-deoxyglucose method introduced by Dr. Louis Sokoloff and colleagues in 1977. Both of these metabolic map ping techniques have made monumental contributions to brain research by allowing an integral view of brain activity. They have also developed into various specialized tech niques, including applications to the human brain. One of these new applications, which is described in detail in this book, is the quantitative cytochrome oxidase cytochemical method used to study Alzheimer's disease. The objective of this book is to describe the role of cytochrome oxidase in neuronal metabolism and Alzheimer's disease. Whether genetic or environmental, the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease involves a cascade of multiple intracellular events, eventually re sulting in failure of oxidative energy metabolism. Could impairment of cytochrome oxi dase in energy metabolism initiate the degenerative process? Cytochrome oxidase function and dysfunction are discussed in relationship to neuronal energy metabolism, neurodegen eration, and Alzheimer's disease. The book is made up of 10 chapters, divided into three major parts."

The volumes of this classic series, now referred to simply as "Zechmeister after its founder, L. Zechmeister, have appeared under the Springer Imprint ever since the series inauguration in 1938. The volumes contain contributions on various topics related to the origin, distribution, chemistry, synthesis, biochemistry, function or use of various classes of naturally occurring substances ranging from small molecules to biopolymers. Each contribution is written by a recognized authority in his field and provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the topic in question. Addressed to biologists, technologists, and chemists alike, the series can be used by the expert as a source of information and literature citations and by the non-expert as a means of orientation in a rapidly developing discipline.

This review series covers trends in modern biotechnology.All aspects of this interdisciplinary technology, where knowledge, methods and expertise are required from chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, chemical engineering and computer science, are treated. Electronic version available at http://link.springer.de/series/abe/

Charles E. Hess Department of Environmental Horticulture University of California Davis, CA 95616 Research in the biology of adventitious root formation has a special place in science. It provides an excellent forum in which to pursue fundamental research on the regulation of plant growth and development. At the same time the results of the research have been quickly applied by commercial plant propagators, agronomists, foresters and horticulturists (see the chapter by Kovar and Kuchenbuch, by Ritchie, and by Davies and coworkers in this volume). In an era when there is great interest in speeding technology transfer, the experiences gained in research in adventitious root formation may provide useful examples for other areas of science. Interaction between the fundamental and the applied have been and continue to be facilitated by the establishment, in 1951, of the Plant Propagators' Society, which has evolved into the International Plant Propagators' Society, with active programs in six regions around the world. It is a unique organization which brings together researchers in universities, botanical gardens and arboreta, and commercial plant propagators. In this synergistic environment new knowledge is rapidly transferred and new ideas for fundamental research evolve from the presentations and discussions by experienced plant propagators. In the past 50 years, based on research related to the biology of adventitious root formation, advances in plant propagation have been made on two major fronts.

This third and final volume in the "Ion Transport in Tumor Biology" collection presents novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in cancer based on the exploitation of ion transport proteins. The authors critically examine several transportome members, particularly Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Cl- channels, as well as organic solute carriers regarding their suitability as therapeutic targets. Synergistic effects resulting from the combined use of classical cytostatics with ion transport-inhibiting drugs are pointed out, and the capability of bispecific antibodies to function as anticancer drugs is discussed. As readers will also learn, the use of ion channel inhibitors could improve the outcome of radiotherapy because the development of radio-resistance during radiotherapeutic treatment often correlates with increases in the expression levels and conductance of ion channels. The translational topics of this volume form a bridge between biochemical research and therapeutic application. As part of a three-volume collection, this book will fascinate members of the active research community, as well as clinicians in the cancer field.

The probability for exposure to damaging radiation, toxic chemicals in the environment and adverse biological agents has increased exponentially today. The more frequent and faster travel that we experience today also escalates the risk of contraction and transmission of potentially deadly infections. This has created a very real and escalating risk for injuries and deaths. This is accentuated in the military and medical staff that is more frequently exposed to radiological, chemical, and biological agents in their normal working environment. Understanding the mechanisms whereby these toxic agents inflict damage to our bodies is essential to prepare us for these challenges. Much of the damage is inflicted through the generation of free radicals and non-radical oxidants which then act through oxidative mechanisms to injury the body. This volume will discuss the damage caused by these radiological, chemical, and biological environmental stressors, the mechanisms through which the damage can occur and the novel strategies that can be used to reduce the injury inflicted by these toxic compounds. Using basic and clinical research approaches, the contents of this book discuss new ideas for the development of bioactive products and environmental approaches to lessen or negate the biological damage inflicted by these noxious compounds.

Biomaterials repair, reinforce or replace damaged functional parts of the (human) body. All mechanical and biological interactions between an implant and the body occur across the interface, which has to correspond as nearly as possible to its particular function. Much of the progress in adapting polymer materials for use in a biological environment has been obtained through irradiation techniques. For this reason the most recent developments in four key areas are reviewed in this special volume: (1) the analysis of the topology and the elemental composition of a functional surface, (2) the chemical modification of the surface which results in highly pure, sterile and versatile surfaces, (3) the sterilisation of implantable devices via ionising radiation and its possible effects on the structural mechanical properties of polymers, and (4) the radiation effects on living cells and tissues which are of particular importance for radiation protection and radiotherapy.

This detailed volume explores a wide range of evidence-based complementary medicine and various bio-analytical techniques used to define botanical products. Collecting recent work and current developments in the field of contemporary phytomedicine as well as their future possibilities in human health care, the book includes unique contributions in the form of chapters on phytomedicine and screening biological activities explained with diverse hyphenated techniques, as well as issues related to herbal medications, such as efficacy, adulteration, safety, toxicity, regulations, and drug delivery. Written for the Springer Protocols Handbooks series, chapters feature advice from experts on how to best conduct future experiments. Extensive and practical, Natural Product Experiments in Drug Discovery serves as an ideal reference for students, professors, and researchers in universities, R&D institutes, pharmaceutical and herbal enterprises, and health organizations.

This edition includes both updates from the previous book titled Simulation for Designing Clinical Trials and new uses and issues concerning clinical trial simulations (CTS) along with case studies of how clinical trial simulations are being applied in various therapeutic and application areas. Importantly, the book expands on the utility of CTS for informing decisions during drug development and regulatory review. Each chapter was written by esteemed authors who have demonstrated expertise in state-of-the-art application of CTS. The target audience for this book includes not only researchers and scientists who wish to consider use of simulations in the design, analysis, or regulatory review and guidance of clinical trials, but also academic researchers and others working in drug development (e.g., clinicians, senior managers, project planning and regulatory affairs professionals). The focus is more on how the authors have used clinical trial simulation in decision processes instead of illustrating detailed technical aspects. This book is an information source that enables the reader to gain overall knowledge on how clinical trial simulations can be used to improve the efficiency, informativeness, speed and economy of model-based drug development and regulation.

Covers fundamentals of peptide and protein drug delivery. This reference/text includes such considerations as synthesis, physical chemistry and biochemistry, analysis, proteolytic and transport constraints, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics as well as bioavailability from routes of administration.

Thirty carefully selected, peer-reviewed contributions from the International Conference on Pure and Applied Chemistry (ICPAC 2016) are featured in this edited book of proceedings. ICPAC 2016, a biennial meeting, was held in Mauritius in July 2016. The chapters in this book reflect a wide range of fundamental and applied research in the chemical sciences and interdisciplinary subjects. This is a unique collection of full research papers as well as reviews.

Cellular Endocrinology in Health and Disease, Second Edition, describes the underlying basis of endocrine function, providing an important tool to understand the fundamentals of endocrine diseases. Delivering a comprehensive review of the basic science of endocrinology, from cell biology to human disease, this work explores and dissects the function of a number of cellular systems. The new edition provides an understanding of how endocrine glands function by integrating information resulting in biological effects on both local and systemic levels, also providing new information on the molecular physiopathogenesis of endocrine neoplasic cells. The new edition expands the most used chapters from the first edition and proposes a series of substitutions and additions to the table of contents. New chapters cover signaling, brown adipose tissue, hypothalamic cell models, cellular basis of insulin resistance, genetics and epigenetics of neuroendocrine tumors, and a series of chapters on endocrine-related cancer. Providing content that crosses disciplines, Cellular Endocrinology in Health and Disease, Second Edition, details how cellular endocrine function contributes to system physiology and mediates endocrine disorders. A methods section proves novel and useful approaches across research focus that will be attractive to medical students, residents, and specialists in the field of endocrinology, as well as to those interested in cellular regulation. Editors Alfredo Ulloa-Aguirre and Ya-Xiong Tao, experts in molecular and cellular aspects of endocrinology, deliver contributions carefully selected for relevance, impact, and clarity of expression from leading field experts

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."

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology attempts to provide concise, critical reviews of timely advances, philosophy, and significant areas of accomplished or needed endeavor in the total field of xenobiotics in any segment of the environment, as well as toxicological implications.

Microarray technology provides a highly sensitive and precise te- nique for obtaining information from biological samples, with the added advantage that it can handle a large number of samples simultaneously that may be analyzed rapidly. Researchers are applying microarray technology to understand gene expression, mutation analysis, and the sequencing of genes. Although this technology has been experimental, and thus has been through feasibility studies, it has just recently entered into widespread use for advanced research. The purpose of DNA Arrays: Methods and Protocols is to provide instruction in designing and constructing DNA arrays, as well as hybridizing them with biological samples for analysis. An additional purpose is to p- vide the reader with a broad description of DNA-based array technology and its potential applications. This volume also covers the history of DNA arrays-from their conception to their ready off-the-shelf availability-for readers who are new to array technology as well as those who are well versed in this field. Stepwise, detailed experimental procedures are described for constructing DNA arrays, including the choice of solid support, attachment methods, and the general conditions for hybridization. With microarray technology, ordered arrays of oligonucleotides or other DNA sequences are attached or printed to the solid support using au- mated methods for array synthesis. Probe sequences are selected in such a way that they have the appropriate sequence length, site of mutation, and T .

The volumes of this classic series, now referred to simply as "Zechmeister" after its founder, L. Zechmeister, have appeared under the Springer Imprint ever since the series' inauguration in 1938. The volumes contain contributions on various topics related to the origin, distribution, chemistry, synthesis, biochemistry, function or use of various classes of naturally occurring substances ranging from small molecules to biopolymers. Each contribution is written by a recognized authority in his field and provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the topic in question. Addressed to biologists, technologists, and chemists alike, the series can be used by the expert as a source of information and literature citations and by the non-expert as a means of orientation in a rapidly developing discipline.

This book represents the proceedings of a NATO Advanced Research Workshop of the same name, held at St. Andrews University, Scotland in July of 1989. It was the first meeting of its kind and was convened as a forum to review and discuss the phylogeny of some of the cell biological functions that underlie nervous system function, such matters as intercellular communication in diverse, lower organisms, and the electrical excitability of protozoans and cnidarians, to mention but two. The rationale behind such work has not necessarily been to understand how the first nervous systems evolved; many of the animals in question provide excellent opportunities for examining general questions that are unapproachable in the more complex nervous systems of higher animals. Nevertheless, a curiosity about nervous system evolution has invariably pervaded much of the work. The return on this effort has been mixed, depending to a large extent on the usefulness of the preparation under examination. For example, work on cnidarians, to many the keystone phylum in nervous system evolution simply because they possess the "first" nervous systems, lagged behind that carried out on protozoans, because the latter are large, single cells and, thus, far more amenable to microelectrode-based recording techniques. Furthermore, protozoans can be cultured easily and are more amenable to genetic and molecular analyses.

Chemical changes that occur in foods during processing and storage are manifold and might be both desirable and undesirable in nature. While many of the processes are carried out intentionally, there are also certain unwanted changes that naturally occur in food and might have to be controlled. Therefore, efforts are made to devise processing technologies in which desirable attributes of foods are retained and their deleterious ef fects are minimized. While proteins, lipids and carbohydrates are the main nutrients of food that are affected by processing, it is their interaction with one another, as well as in volvement oflow-molecular-weight constituents that affects their flavor, color and overall acceptability. Thus, generation of aroma via thermal processing and bioconversion is of utmost importance in food preparation. Furthermore, processing operations must be opti mized in order to eliminate or reduce the content of antinutrients that are present in foods and retain their bioactive components. Therefore, while novel processing technologies such as freezing, irradiation, microwaving, high pressure treatment and fermentation might be employed, control process conditions in a manner that both the desirable sensory attributes and wholesomeness of foods are safeguarded is essential. Obviously, method ologies should also be established to quantitate the changes that occur in foods as a result of processing. This volume was developed from contributions provided by a group of internation ally-recognized lead scientists."

This two volume set introduces the up-to-date high-tech applications of Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) luminogens in biosensing, bioimaging, and biomedicine. The 2nd volume presents the applications of AIE materials in biomedicine, including the utilizations in biomedical polymers, organic nanoprobes, photosensitizer, photothermal agents, AIEgens-based delivery systems, etc. It is an essential reference for materials scientists, chemists, physicists and biological chemists.