The MMR controversy has been characterized by two one-sided discourses. In the medical world, the weight of opinion is overwhelmingly in favour of MMR. In the public world, the anti-MMR campaign has a much greater influence, centred on the fears of parents that the triple vaccine may cause autism in their children. Both professionals and parents struggle to cope with the anxieties this creates, but find it difficult to find a balanced account of the issues.
In MMR and Autism Michael Fitzpatrick, a general practitioner who is also the parent of an autistic child, explains why he believes the anti-MMR campaign is misguided in a way that will reassure parents considering vaccination and also relieve the anxieties of parents of autistic children. At the same time, this informative book provides health care professionals and health studies students with an accessible overview of a contemporary health issue with significant policy implications.

The MMR controversy has been characterized by two one-sided discourses. In the medical world, the weight of opinion is overwhelmingly in favour of MMR. In the public world, the anti-MMR campaign has a much greater influence, centred on the fears of parents that the triple vaccine may cause autism in their children. Both professionals and parents struggle to cope with the anxieties this creates, but find it difficult to find a balanced account of the issues.
In MMR and Autism Michael Fitzpatrick, a general practitioner who is also the parent of an autistic child, explains why he believes the anti-MMR campaign is misguided in a way that will reassure parents considering vaccination and also relieve the anxieties of parents of autistic children. At the same time, this informative book provides health care professionals and health studies students with an accessible overview of a contemporary health issue with significant policy implications.

The induction of antigen-specific immune responses after in vivo transfection with expression plasmids has triggered a revolution of vaccine research. After a first hype, evoked by the fascinating options of this method, clinical studies did not reach the ambitious aims and a phase of disillusion ensued. It became obvious that Gene vaccines displayed a weaker immunogenicity in humans than had been observed in the mouse models. Meanwhile these hurdles have been overcome and gene vaccines undergo a renaissance. The present book gives an update of the "world of naked gene vaccines", namely DNA and RNA vaccines. Its content ranges from general mechanisms, inherent immunostimulatory properties and the vast potential to modulate immune responses, to recent successful clinical studies and approved veterinary gene vaccines. Beyond the state-of-the-art of genetic immunization, the reader will be stimulated with a chapter addressing "burning questions".

At the intersection of experimental and computational sciences, the second edition of "Immunoinformatics" provides biological insights as well as a simpler way to implement approaches and algorithms in the immunoinformatics research domain. After an introductory section, this extensive volume moves on to cover topics such as databases, tools for prediction, systems biology approaches, as well as a variety of immunoinformatics applications. As part of the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology" series, chapters include the type of detailed information and implementation advice to ensure successful results.

Comprehensive and practical, "Immunoinformatics, Second Edition" aims at students and researchers from diverse backgrounds and levels interested in working with immunological problems.

In the U.S. alone, severe food-related allergic reactions account for an estimated 30,000 emergency room visits and 150 deaths per year - unsettling statistics for food product developers and manufacturers who are charged with ensuring food safety and quality throughout the entire farm-to-table production chain. Providing the clear-cut information necessary to conduct an effective allergen risk analysis, Chemical and Biological Properties of Food Allergens comprehensively examines the chemical, analytical, technological, and medical aspects of food allergies and the growing problem of cross-contact contamination during product processing. With contributions from an international team of research specialists, the book explains the basic mechanisms of allergenic reactions in humans, the molecular background of these mechanisms, and the problems of food tolerance and intolerance. It also discusses the issues related to common treatments of food allergies and the narrow groups into which they are categorized. Covering the most important recognized allergens in the U.S. and the EU, this resource also explores cutting-edge technological and biotechnological ways to lower the immuno-reactive and allergenic properties of foods. Chemical and Biological Properties of Food Allergens evaluates the current research literature in a concise format - a must for food product developers and biochemists.

Social and Cultural Lives of Immune Systems introduces a provocative new hypothesis in medico-social theory - the theory that immunity and disease are in part socially constituted. It argues that immune systems function not just as biological entities but also as symbolic concepts charged with political significance. Bridging elements of psychology, sociology, body theory, immunology and medical anthropology, twelve papers from leading scholars explain some of the health-hazards of emotional and social pressure, whilst analysing the semiotic and social responses to the imagery of immunity.

Analysis of multidirectional immunological responses at the tumor site allows forming a new concept of The Tumor Immunoenvironment, which is introduced and discussed in the present book with a particular focus on the role of immune cells in controlling the tumor microenvironment at different stages of cancer development. The main goal of this publication is to provide an overview of the current knowledge on the complex and unique role of the immune system, tumor-associated inflammation and tumor-mediated immunomodulation in cancer progression in a way that allows understanding the logistics of cellular and molecular interactions in the tumor lesions.

Social and Cultural Lives of Immune Systems introduces a provocative new hypothesis in medico-social theory - the theory that immunity and disease are in part socially constituted. It argues that immune systems function not just as biological entities but also as symbolic concepts charged with political significance. Bridging elements of psychology, sociology, body theory, immunology and medical anthropology, twelve papers from leading scholars explain some of the health-hazards of emotional and social pressure, whilst analysing the semiotic and social responses to the imagery of immunity.

Monoclonal antibodies have had their impact on biomedical research for more than a decade. Beside their exuberant use as reagents, quite a number of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have been followed and an impressive number of technological improvements, e.g., humanization, recombinant miniantibodies, have been elaborated to strengthen the principle. With respect to clinical applications, the first generation of antibody 'drugs' is yielding promising results while second and third generation antibody constructs are already underway. The book reviews the status of technological development and brings this into the perspective of clinical results. A rapidly growing amount of clinical data is collected in an expanding number of indications. Hence, the review of clinical study results has been grouped according to the fields of oncology and of chronic and acute inflammation. This book will be of interest to scientists working in the fields of oncology, immunology, internal medicine and clinical chemistry.

This volume explores the various methods used to study tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in pathological situations. Pre-clinical models are also discussed in detail to show how TLS structure, development, and maintenance can be targeted and studied in vivo. The chapters in this book cover topics such as humans and mice; strategies to quantify TLS in order to use it in stained tissue sections; classifying a gene signature form fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues; and development of murine inflammatory models to help look at TLS in the context of infection or malignancy. 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 thorough, Tertiary Lymphoid Structures: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource that increases the reader's knowledge on immune functions and how they will pave the way to future therapeutic applications.

Experts from The Jackson Laboratory and around the world provide practical advice on everything from how to establish a colony to where to go for specific mutations. Systematic Approach to Evaluation of Mouse Mutations includes information on medical photography, grafting procedures, how to map the genes and evaluate the special biological characteristics of the mice.

Understanding immunology is increasingly important in obstetrics and gynecology. Written primarily to meet the needs of practicing obstetricians and gynecologists, this book explores the role of immunological processes in reproduction. It presents immunologic concepts and illustrates important points with examples familiar to the clinician. The book is organized into four sections that explore the fundamentals of the immune system, the immunological paradox of pregnancy, clinical applications of immunology in obstetric and gynecologic practice, and immunopathology in obstetric and gynecologic practice. Written mainly for practicing obstetricians and gynecologists, the research results cited in the book are based on human experimentation. Fully illustrated with clear schematic drawings that highlight important concepts and processes, The Immunology of Human Reproduction gives readers an essential overview of immunology as it relates to human reproduction.

Designed as an introductory textbook "Infection, Resistance and Immunity provides basic and established information on the workings of the immunological system and on infectious processes and their control. With sections on immunological disorders, immunization, immunodiagnosis and epidemiology relating immunology to practical problems in medicine, a section on comparative immunology introduces the student to differences among immunological systems among common species of nonhuman animals. Written for the advanced undergraduate, the focus on host-parasite interactions distinguishes this text from other standard texts, which focus on the cellular mechanisms of the immune response.

The 11th Hour Series of revision guides are designed for quick reference.

The organization of these books actively involves studetns in the learning process and reinforces concepts. At the end of each chapter there is a test including multiple choice questions, true/false questions and short answer questions, and every answer involves an explanation. Each book contains icons in the text indicating additional support on a dedicated web page.

Students having difficulties with their courses will find this an excellent way to raise their grades.
Clinical correlations or everyday applications include examples from the real world to help students understand key concepts more readily.
Dedicated web page, there 24 hours a day, will give extra help, tips, warnings of trouble spots, extra visuals and more.
A quick check on what background students will need to apply helps equip them to conquer a topic.
The most important information is highlighted and explained, showing the big picture and eliminating the guesswork.
After every topic and every chapter, lots of opportunity for drill is provided in every format, multiple choice, true/false, short answer, essay.
An easy trouble spot identifier demonstrates which areas need to be reinforced and where to find information on them.
Practice midterms and finals prep them for the real thing.

A step-by-step guide to commonly used procedures, Methods in Cellular Immunology addresses both human and murine models, in addition to such topics as PCR and apoptosis. The basic format of the original version has been maintained, and the goal remains the same: to make it a useful and easy-to-use tool for investigators employing cellular immunological techniques in their research, regardless of whether or not immunology is their main area of expertise. It provides information about manufacturers and commercial sources of chemicals and reagents and a comprehensive list of references, allowing readers to refer back to the original information and/or techniques.

Active specific immunotherapy is a promising but investigational modality in the management of cancer patients. Currently, several different cancer vaccine formulations such as peptides, proteins, antigen-pulsed dendritic cells, whole tumor cells, etc. in combination with various adjuvants and carriers are being evaluated in clinical trials (1-3). To determine the optimal cancer vaccine strategy, a surrogate immunological end-point that correlates with clinical outcome needs to be defined, since it would facilitate the rapid comparison of these various formulations. Traditional immunological assays such as ELISA, proliferation and cytotoxicity assays can detect immune responses in vaccinated patients but are not quantitative. In contrast, novel assays such as enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay, intracellular cytokine assay and tetramer assay can quantitate the frequency of antigen-specific T cells. Of these, the ELISPOT assay has the 5 lowest detection limit with 1/10 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and has been determined to be one of the most useful assays to evaluate immune response to cancer vaccines (4). However, the IFN-? ELISPOT assay is not an exclusive measure of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity as non-cytotoxic cells can also secrete IFN-?. Additionally, CTL with lytic activity do not always secrete IFN-? (5). A more relevant approach to assess functional activity of cytotoxic lymphocytes would be to measure the secretion of molecules that are associated with lytic activity. One of the major mechanisms of cell-mediated cytotoxicity involves exocytosis of cytoplasmic granules from the effector toward the target cell.

Growth factor receptors have long been known to drive malignant transformation and cancer progression. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, ErbB, HER) system is likely the best described membrane receptor tyrosine kinase family in malignant tumors. With implementation of the growth-inhibitory anti-HER-2 antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) for the treatment of HER-2-positive advanced metastatic breast cancer, a new era has dawned in the therapy of this malignant disease. Unfortunately, trastuzumab-sensitive cancers invariably develop resistance to the antibody after some time. Recent clinical studies have revealed that these refractory tumors are still responsive to inhibition of the HER receptor family using dual HER-1/-2 inhibitors such as lapatinib (Tykerb/Tyverb). Moreover, a multiplicity of novel, improved irreversibly acting small molecular HER tyrosine kinase inhibitors are in the pipeline of many drug developing companies and are being evaluated in the clinical setting.

When the world stopped, all hopes rested on finding a vaccine. One team answered the call and were ready to act. But how do you develop a life-saving drug when every second counts and one mistake could be catastrophic?

Married couple and decades-long research partners Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci did just that within weeks of the pandemic breaking out. From convincing Big Pharma to support their ambitious project, to navigating political interference from the Trump administration and the European Union, the road to producing the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was by no means smooth. But these cutting-edge innovators overcame every obstacle to provide more than two billion doses of the life-saving drug to countries all around the world in record time.

The Vaccine draws back the curtain on one of the most important medical breakthroughs of our age, containing contributions from the fascinating couple themselves, as well as more than 50 scientists, politicians, public health officials, and BioNTech staff.

Shedding a light on the science behind the breakthrough, The Vaccine tells the story of the trailblazers to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude. More suspenseful than a novel, this is a real-life story of an extraordinary race against time to save the world.

From a biomedical engineering perspective, this book takes an analytic, quantitative approach to describing the basic components of physiological regulators and control systems (PRCs). In Endogenous and Exogenous Regulation and Control of Physiological Systems, the author provides grounding in the classical methods of designing linear and nonlinear systems. He also offers state-of-the-art material on the potential of PRCs to treat immune system ailments, most notably AIDS and cancer.

The book focuses on certain "wet" physiological regulators, such as those using endocrine hormones as parametric control substances. Endogenous and Exogenous Regulation and Control of Physiological Systems includes simulations that illustrate model validations and the putative control of cancer and HIV proliferation. It explores novel, untried immunotherapies on the cutting-edge of PRC treatment and explores the latest technologies.

Phagocytosis is the engulfment of particulate matter by cells. It is a fundamental (and probably "primitive") cell biological process which is important in single celled organisms such as amoeba; multicellular animals including coelenterates; and in higher animals. In humans and other mammals, specialised immune cells (phagocytes) utilise phagocytosis in their crucial role of engulfing and destroying infecting microbes. Yet, surprisingly, the biophysics and biochemistry underlying the process has only become clear recently with the advent of genetic manipulation and advances in single cell imaging. In this volume, the aim is to bring together recent fundamental advances that give a clear picture of the underlying mechanism involved in phagocytosis. Not only is this an important topic in its own right, but a full understanding of the process will have a potential impact on human medicine, since as antibiotics become less effective in fight infection, researchers are looking at alternative approaches, including enhancing the "natural" immunity brought about by immune phagocytes. The aim is to provide a comprehensive volume on the topic, with separate chapters on identified recent advances, each written by the major contributors in each area. In addition, the volume will attempt to give a wider overview than is often the case in single author reviews, with an emphasis here on the cell biological understanding of phagocytosis using biophysical approaches alongside the biochemical and imaging approaches.

This title discusses all aspects of non-infectious and non-cancer- so called NINC - vaccines. Hypertension, diabetes and allergy vaccine development are referred to as well as the use of adjuvants and nanotechnology in vaccine development. The way of novel vaccines from bench to preclinical to clinical studies and launch to the market under EMEA (European Medicines Agency) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) guidelines are described in-depth. The book is therefore of interest for researchers and clinicians engaged in vaccine development and molecular vaccine application.

This book discusses specific immune cell regulatory pathway(s), immune cell types, or other mechanisms involved in host responses to tuberculosis that can be potentially targeted for host-directed therapy (HDT). The pathways/mechanisms investigated are either protective - thus calling for pathway/factor enhancing drugs - or maladaptive - thus calling for pathway/factor inhibitory drugs. Discovery and development (pre-clinical and clinical) of candidate HDT agents will also be elucidated, as well as approaches for HDT of other diseases. The benefit to the reader will derive from learning about the biology of multiple host pathways involved in health and disease, how these pathways are disrupted or dysregulated during tuberculosis, and which druggable targets exist in these pathways. This book provides the reader with a roadmap of current and future directions of HDT against tuberculosis. Since the host pathways/factors involved in protective or maladaptive responses to tuberculosis are not disease-specific, information learned from the context of tuberculosis likely will be relevant to other infectious and non-infectious diseases.

This volume presents a collection of reviews derived from work presented at the Aegean Conference: "3rd Crossroads between innate and adaptive immunity" which occurred during September 27 - October 2, 2009 at the Minoa Palace Conference Center in Chania, Crete, Greece. This meeting was the third in a series, and assembled a team of scientists working on mechanisms by which the innate immune system of the host senses pathogens, the cellular and signaling networks that orchestrate the innate response and antigen presentation and adaptive immunity. The various facets of the innate response, including dendritic cells, T cells, B cells, NK cells, NK-T cells and the complement cascade during the host response to pathogens and tumors is only now starting to be elucidated. The respective fields that focus on these immune cells and molecules have tended to be relatively compartmentalized, and yet emerging evidence points to the interconnectedness of these facets in coordinating the innate response, and its subsequent impact on the adaptive response. The goal of this conference was to initiate cross-talk between these diverse immunological fields, and promote and facilitate discussion on the interactions between the innate immune response and the adaptive immune response and ultimately facilitate collaboration between these areas of study. Following on the footsteps of the outstanding success of its precursors, the "3rd Crossroads between Innate and Adaptive Immunity" Aegean Conference was highly successful in bringing together and connecting scientists and experts from around the world to address critical areas of Innate and Adaptive immunity.

Liver metastases are a frequent and often fatal occurrence in cancer patients, particularly those with malignancies of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. While recent improvements in surgical techniques and a more aggressive approach to resection of liver metastases have improved long term survival for some patients, most patients with hepatic metastases still succumb to their disease. To improve these dismal statistics, a better understanding of the biology of liver metastasis, particularly the early stages that can be targeted for prevention, is essential.

Once cancer cells enter the liver, several different scenarios may occur. The cancer cells may be immediately destroyed by local defence mechanisms, they may enter a state of dormancy as solitary cells and never produce a metastasis, initiate a short-lived process of proliferation that is aborted before a metastasis is established or actively proliferate to form macrometastases. The chapters in Part I of this book provide insight into the cellular/molecular mechanisms that determine which of these scenarios prevails. Written by experts researchers in the filed of metastasis, these chapters provide state-of-the art reviews on the cellular and molecular processes that impact the early stages of the metastatic process. The unique microenvironment of the liver, its various anatomical, cellular and molecular features and the impact they have on metastasis are highlighted. In addition, the role of inflammation (pre-existing and tumor-induced), host innate and adaptive immune responses, cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and the unique molecular signatures of metastatic tumor cells are reviewed with an underscoring of the translational implications of the current state of knowledge.

Against this background, the chapters in Part II of the book provide critical reviews on major aspects of the clinical management of hepatic metastases. These include imaging strategies, surgical and chemotherapeutic treatment approaches and the use of targeted biological therapeutics such as anti-angiogenic drugs as treatment modalities.

By combining information on biological and clinical aspects of liver metastasis, this volume will serve as an excellent resource for scientists, clinicians, clinician/ scientists and trainees in the domains of oncology, surgical oncology, hepatobiliary physiology and radiology. "

This text provides a concise and comprehensive introduction to key immunotoxicological issues for all those interested in, but with no prior knowledge of, this area of toxicology. The first section explores the health consequences of immunotoxicity, namely the adverse effects related to chemically-induced immunosuppression and immunostimulation, hypersensitivity reactions and autoimmune diseases, with an overview of Major Immunotoxicants. The Second Part Describes The Latest Methods Used to detect and evaluate, preclinically and clinically, the unexpected Immunotoxic Effects Of Xenobiotics. Trends In Implementing Strategies And recent changes to the regulatory aspects are also considered. The third section examines possible future developments, including In Vitro Methods, Biomarkers Of Immunotixicity And Risk Assessment.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203362551