This volume of "Advances in Cell Aging and Gerontology" provides a timely review on the molecular and cellular basis of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Age itself is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which include loss of vasomotor function, athero- and arterio-sclerosis, hypertension, congestive heart failure and stroke. Together these pathologies comprise the leading causes of permanent disability, hospitalization and death for individuals over the age of 65. Thus, there is a critical need to assess both the age-associated causes leading to CVD as well as the current state of knowledge on preventive regimens designed to slow or modulate disease progression.

This book concisely summarizes the current knowledge related to the major aspects contributing to cardiovascular disfunction in the elderly as well as potential ways of maintaining or improving human cardiovascular healthspan.

This volume presents detailed, recently-developed protocols ranging from isolation of nuclei to purification of chromatin regions containing single genes, with a particular focus on some less well-explored aspects of the nucleus. The methods described include new strategies for isolation of nuclei, for purification of cell type-specific nuclei from a mixture, and for rapid isolation and fractionation of nucleoli. For gene delivery into and expression in nuclei, a novel gentle approach using gold nanowires is presented. As the concentration and localization of water and ions are crucial for macromolecular interactions in the nucleus, a new approach to measure these parameters by correlative optical and cryo-electron microscopy is described. The Nucleus, Second Edition presents methods and software for high-throughput quantitative analysis of 3D fluorescence microscopy images, for quantification of the formation of amyloid fibrils in the nucleus, and for quantitative analysis of chromosome territory localization. Written in the 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 protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, The Nucleus, Second Edition seeks to serve both professionals and novices with its well-honed methods for the study of the nucleus.

Since the identification of the first matrix metalloprotease (insterstitial collagenase or MMP-1) more than 20 closely related and evolutionarily conserved vertebrate MMPs have been discovered. Chapters in this volume detail methods and protocols on recent advances in the expression and purification of MMPs, biophysical methods such as X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy and small angle X-ray scattering, computational and experimental methods for determining MMP specificity, methods for detecting MMP activity in vitro and in vivo, and methods for the development and characterization of MMP-based inhibitors as potential therapeutics for the treatment of various diseases. 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. Authoritative and practical, Matrix Metalloproteases: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

In his thesis, Xiaoyu Sun conducts the first total synthesis of all possible stereoisomers of plakortide E and also confirms the absolute configuration of natural plakortide E. Xiaoyu Sun subsequently converts Plakortide E methyl ester to plakortone B in a biomimetic conversion. Construction and functionalization of cyclic peroxides are notoriously difficult due to the very low O-O bond dissociation energy. Plaktoride E is isolated from the Jamaican marine sponge platorits halichondrioides and contains a five-membered peroxide ring, with oxygen atoms linked to tertiary C4 and C6 centers. The methodology used for synthesizing highly substituted cyclic peroxides is novel and useful, and not only extends the field of Pd-catalyzed reactions, but also provides a convenient synthetic approach for the preparation of the 1,2-dioxolanes series. Plakortide E and plakortone B are bioactive, which means that the synthetic studies on them and their analogs are pivotal in drug discovery.

This book encapsulates over three decades of the author's work on comparative functional respiratory morphology. It provides insights into the mechanism(s) by which respiratory means and processes originated and advanced to their modern states. Pertinent cross-disciplinary details and facts have been integrated and reexamined in order to arrive at more robust answers to questions regarding the basis of the functional designs of gas exchangers. The utilization of oxygen for energy production is an ancient process, the development and progression of which were underpinned by dynamic events in the biological, physical, and chemical worlds. Many books that have broached the subject of comparative functional respiratory biology have only described the form and function of the end-product, ' the gas exchanger; they have scarcely delved into the factors and the conditions that motivated and steered the development from primeval to modern respiratory means and processes. This book addresses and answers broad questions concerning the critical synthesis of multidisciplinary data, and clarifies previously cryptic aspects of comparative respiratory biology.

This volume of "Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science" covers the recent advances in the expanding fields of nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. Forty authors from eight countries have contributed to the publication, representing the most cutting-edge research available.

Key features:

* Contributions from leading authorities * Informs and updates on all the latest developments in the field

The ability of a single genome to give rise to hundreds of functionally distinct cell type programs is in itself remarkable. Pioneering studies over the past few decades have demonstrated that this plasticity is retained throughout development, a phenomenon of epigenetic programming and reprogramming that remains one of the most fascinating areas of modern biology, with major relevance to human health and disease. This book presents the basic biology involved, including key mechanistic insights into this rapidly growing field.

Ascorbic acid (AsA), vitamin C, is one of the most abundant water-soluble antioxidant in plants and animals. In plants AsA serves as a major redox buffer and regulates various physiological processes controlling growth, development, and stress tolerance. Recent studies on AsA homeostasis have broadened our understanding of these physiological events. At the mechanistic level, AsA has been shown to participate in numerous metabolic and cell signaling processes, and the dynamic relationship between AsA and reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been well documented. Being a major component of the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, AsA helps to modulate oxidative stress in plants by controlling ROS detoxification alone and in co-operation with glutathione. In contrast to the single pathway responsible for AsA biosynthesis in animals, plants utilize multiple pathways to synthesize AsA, perhaps reflecting the importance of this molecule to plant health. Any fluctuations, increases or decreases, in cellular AsA levels can have profound effects on plant growth and development, as AsA is associated with the regulation of the cell cycle, redox signaling, enzyme function and defense gene expression. Although there has been significant progress made investigating the multiple roles AsA plays in stress tolerance, many aspects of AsA-mediated physiological responses require additional research if AsA metabolism is to be manipulated to enhance stress-tolerance. This book summarizes the roles of AsA that are directly or indirectly involved in the metabolic processes and physiological functions of plants. Key topics include AsA biosynthesis and metabolism, compartmentation and transport, AsA-mediated ROS detoxification, as well as AsA signaling functions in plant growth, development and responses to environmental stresses. The main objective of this volume is therefore to supply comprehensive and up-to-date information for students, scholars and scientists interested in or currently engaged in AsA research.

Bioanalytical Separations is volume 4 of the multi-volume series, "Handbook of Analytical Separations," providing reviews of analytical separation methods and techniques used for the determination of analytes across a whole range of applications. The theme for this volume is bioanalysis, in this case specifically meaning the analysis of drugs and their metabolites in biological fluids.
- Discusses new developments in instrumentation and methods of analyzing drugs and their metabolites in biological fluids
- Provides guidance to the different methods, their relative value to the user, and the advantages and pitfalls of their use
- Future trends are identified, in terms of the potential impact of new technologies

This thesis addresses fundamental scientific questions such as: How are complex natural products synthesized in vivo? Can we replicate these conditions in a laboratory environment? What is the biological function of such secondary metabolites? What are the biological origins of chirality? These issues are explored in an accessible manner using a multidisciplinary approach spanning chemistry, biology and physics to investigate an interesting family of complex natural products isolated from marine molluscs - the tridachiahydropyrones. The work has achieved: Elegant biomimetic syntheses of a number of the tridachiahydropyrone compounds in vitro using organic synthesis techniques The characterization of the interactions between these compounds and a range of model membrane systems using a series of fluorescence spectroscopic studies The investigation of the antioxidant and photoprotective properties of the compounds by means of biophysical assay techniques The synthesis of tridachiahydropyrone utilizing the model membrane systems as biomimetic reaction media.

Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field.

The cytoskeleton is comprised of a variety of specialized proteins, and is a dynamic structure that is involved in the majority of key cellular events. There is increasing interest in the role of the cytoskeleton in human disease. This volume brings together human disease states where cytoskeletal disruptions are driving disease. Our emerging understanding of the molecular and cellular events that drive cytoskeletal mediated diseases including cancer, heart disease, myopathies and skin disorders, are also helping shape targeted therapeutic approaches to treating these diseases.

Required reading for anyone involved in cell signaling research with articles written and edited by experts in the field. This title covers disease states such as lymphoid leukemia, breast cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, andinflammatory bowel disease, along with up-to-date research on signaling systems and mutations in
transcription factors that provide new targets for treating disease.
Articles written and edited by experts in the field
Thematic volume covering disease states such as lymphoid leukemia, breast cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease
Up-to-date research on signaling systems and mutations in transcription factors that provide new targets for treating disease

This volume of Current Topics in Membranes focuses on Membrane Fusion, beginning with fusion and fission of lipid bilayers, with reviews focused on hemifusion and dynamic remodeling of membranes catalyzed by dynamin. Other topics discussed include viral fusion, intracellular fusion, developmental cell fusion, and theoretical modeling.

The publication of the extensive seven-volume work "Comprehensive Molecular Insect Science" provided a complete reference encompassing important developments and achievements in modern insect science. One of the most swiftly moving areas in entomological and comparative research is molecular biology, and this volume, "Insect Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, " is designed for those who desire a comprehensive yet concise work on important aspects of this topic.

This volume contains ten fully revised or rewritten chapters from the original series as well as five completely new chapters on topics such as insect immunology, insect genomics, RNAi, and molecular biology of circadian rhythms and circadian behavior. The topics included are key to an understanding of insect development, with emphasis on the cuticle, digestive properties, and the transport of lipids; extensive and integrated chapters on cytochrome P450s; and the role of transposable elements in the developmental processes as well as programmed cell death. This volume will be of great value to senior investigators, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and advanced undergraduate research students. It can also be used as a reference for graduate courses and seminars on the topic. Chapters will also be valuable to the applied biologist or entomologist, providing the requisite understanding necessary for probing the more applied research areas related to insect control.
Topics specially selected by the editor-in-chief of the original major reference workFully revised and new contributions bring together the latest research in the rapidly moving fields of insect molecular biology and insect biochemistry, including coverage of development, physiology, immunity and proteomicsFull-color provides readers with clear, useful illustrations to highlight important research findings

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. It is therefore not really surprising to find out that the list of contributing authors, who were awarded a Nobel Prize, is quite long: Kurt Alder, Derek H.R. Barton, George Wells Beadle, Dorothy Crowfoot-Hodgkin, Otto Diels, Hans von Euler-Chelpin, Paul Karrer, Luis Federico Leloir, Linus Pauling, Vladimir Prelog, with Walter Norman Haworth and Adolf F.J. Butenandt serving as members of the editorial board. 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.

Cytosol, the liquid found inside cells, is the site for multiple cell processes, including signaling from the cell membrane to sites within the cell. Cytosolic signaling mechanisms are researched and studied in graduate programs in cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, molecular and cellular physiology, pharmacy, and biomedical sciences.

Articles written and edited by experts in the field
Thematic volume covering material needed for young professionals joining the field of research and graduate students taking survey courses
Up-to-date research on signaling systems and mutations in transcription factors that provide new targets for treating disease

This book reviews the current strategies and challenges for the treatment of bacterial, fungal, parasitic and viral infectious diseases in developing countries. Contributing authors present expert analysis on the transmission, epidemiology, bacteriology, pathogenesis and treatment of Neglected Tropical Bacterial Diseases such as Leprosy, Buruli ulcer, and Trachoma. Particular attention is also given to current antifungal agents, their spectrum of activity, mode of action, limitations, and current challenges in antifungal therapy. The authors explore the medicinal chemistry efforts that gave rise to currently launched drugs and new anti-HIV agents, and they also highlight the latest vaccine and drug developments in the clinical management of the Ebola Virus Disease, ignited by the 2014-2016 outbreak. This work has an interdisciplinary appeal and will engage scholars and professionals in the burden of communicable diseases.

The global nitrogen cycle is the one most impacted by mankind. The past decade has changed our view on many aspects of the microbial biogeochemical cycles, including the global nitrogen cycle, which is mainly due to tremendous advances in methods, techniques and approaches. Many novel processes and the molecular inventory and organisms that facilitate them have been discovered only within the last 5 to 10 years, and the process is in progress. This volume provides state-of-the-art updates on methods and protocols dealing with the detection, isolation and characterization of macromolecules and their hosting organisms that facilitate nitrification and related processes in the nitrogen cycle as well as the challenges of doing so in very diverse environments.

Provides state-of-the-art update on methods and protocols Deals with the detection, isolation and characterization of macromolecules and their hosting organisms deals with the challenges ofvery diverse environments."

This book highlights the advances in essential oil research, from the plant physiology perspective to large-scale production, including bioanalytical methods and industrial applications. The book is divided into 4 sections. The first one is focused on essential oil composition and why plants produce these compounds that have been used by humans since ancient times. Part 2 presents an update on the use of essential oils in various areas, including food and pharma industries as well as agriculture. In part 3 readers will find new trends in bioanalytical methods. Lastly, part 4 presents a number of approaches to increase essential oil production, such as in vitro and hairy root culture, metabolic engineering and biotechnology. Altogether, this volume offers a comprehensive look at what researchers have been doing over the last years to better understand these compounds and how to explore them for the benefit of the society.

This must-have cell signaling title will appeal to researchers across molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology and genetics. The articles are written and edited by experts in the field and emphasize signaling to and from intracellular compartments including transcriptional responses to cytoplasmic and nuclear signaling events, chromatin remodeling and stress responses, the regulation of endoplasmic reticulum function, control of cell cycle progression and apoptosis and the modulation of the activities of mitochondria and other organelles.

Articles written and edited by experts in the field
Thematic volume covering regulation of endoplasmic reticulum function, regulation of cell cycle progression, and quality control and assurance in mitochondrion events
Up-to-date research on events in membrane proteins and proteins of intracellular matrix