This book reviews the chemical and biological properties of Artemisia amygdalina Decne, a critically endangered and endemic plant species in the the high-altitude Kashmir Himalayas, which has a high pharmacological potential. It describes the bioactivity-guided isolation of its chemical compounds, their characterization using spectroscopic methods and the development of a simple and reliable RP-HPLC method for the simultaneous quantification of the isolated constituents. The authors discuss the potential pharmacological activities of A. amygdalina, such as antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulatory and antidiabetic effects, and pave the way for future research.

Milton Taylor, Indiana University, offers an easy-to-read and fascinating text describing the impact of viruses on human society. The book starts with an analysis of the profound effect that viral epidemics had on world history resulting in demographic upheavals by destroying total populations. It also provides a brief history of virology and immunology. Furthermore, the use of viruses for the treatment of cancer (viral oncolysis or virotherapy) and bacterial diseases (phage therapy) and as vectors in gene therapy is discussed in detail. Several chapters focus on viral diseases such as smallpox, influenza, polio, hepatitis and their control, as well as on HIV and AIDS and on some emerging viruses with an interesting story attached to their discovery or vaccine development. The book closes with a chapter on biological weapons. It will serve as an invaluable source of information for beginners in the field of virology as well as for experienced virologists, other academics, students, and readers without prior knowledge of virology or molecular biology.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is one of the most notorious pathogens on earth, causing the death of approximately 1.5 million people annually. A major problem in the fight against tuberculosis is the emergence of strains that have acquired resistance to all available antibiotics. One key to the success of M. tuberculosis as a pathogen is its ability to circumvent host immune responses at different levels. This is not only a result of the special makeup of M. tuberculosis in terms of genetic diversity and DNA metabolism and its possession of specialized secretion systems, but also of its ability to hijack the host's innate immune defence mechanisms. In this volume, researchers from different disciplines provide a topical overview of the diverse mechanisms that contribute to the virulence of M. tuberculosis, ranging from their genetic, metabolic and molecular makeup, as well as the complex strategies these bacteria utilize to escape immune destruction within infected hosts.

The innate immune system represents a critical arm of the immune response by providing immediate and robust host defense; however, human studies of its function are often limited by ethical, logistical, and technical obstacles. In Mouse Models of Innate Immunity: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field explore the design and execution of experiments used to thoroughly evaluate critical elements associated with the host innate immune response. The volume opens with methods that are essential for collecting and assessing various primary cells that are highly relevant to innate immunity, and it continues with in vivo protocols commonly used to evaluate the innate immune response in the mouse, including mouse models of respiratory infection, gastrointestinal inflammation, fungal and parasitic diseases, sepsis, and HIV-1 infection. 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 easy to use, Mouse Models of Innate Immunity: Methods and Protocols will serve the research community by providing expert advice and protocols that allow both experienced and novice investigators to successfully plan, implement, and assess disease processes associated with the innate immune response.

This volume is a collection of immunohematology and transfusion medicine cases, comprised of clinical vignettes and antibody panels with questions based on each case, arranged in a workbook format. The cases are based on real patient problems which are typically encountered and covers a number of common issues and challenging problems in blood banking and transfusion practice. Discussion and resolution of each case is provided in a separate answer section, including up-to-date information on pertinent advances in the field. Written by experts in the field, Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine: A Case Study Approach provides an interactive tool to help make blood banking and transfusion medicine memorable, practical, and relevant to residents and fellows.

In this volume, the authors provide an excellent overview of how far the plant viral vector field has come. The discipline is no longer exclusively in the domain of academics-there is a small, but growing number of small biotechnology companies that exploit plant viruses as the platform for commercial innovation in crop improvement, industrial product manufacturing, and human and veterinary health care.

The collection of chapters in this proceeding volume reflects the latest research presented at the Aegean meeting on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress held in Crete in Fall of 2012. The book provides critical insight to how the tumor microenvironment affects tumor metabolism, cell stemness, cell viability, genomic instability and more. Additional topics include identifying common pathways that are potential candidates for therapeutic intervention, which will stimulate collaboration between groups that are more focused on elucidation of biochemical aspects of stress biology and groups that study the pathophysiological aspects of stress pathways or engaged in drug discovery.

The studies described in this volume serve as a starting point to familiarize one self with the multifarious differences in epigenetic designs that orchestrate the progression of developing blood cells. They also may serve as a general paradigm for the mechanisms that underpin the control of eukaryotic gene expression. "

This book gives insight into the mechanism of the immune system and the influence of the environment on earth. Further, the book explains the changes that occur in our immune system in the absence of gravity and their fundamental consequences. Several limiting factors for human health and performance in microgravity have been clearly identified as an unacceptable risk for long-term and interplanetary flights. Serious concerns arose whether spaceflight-associated immune system dysfunction ultimately precludes the expansion of human presence beyond Earth's orbit. The immune system has undergone many evolutionary steps to cope with a new and changing environment, but `space` has not been evolutionary experienced before. Through endocrine orchestration of cell functions, cell to cell communications and intracellular mechanisms the human body and his immune system have an enormous capacity to adapt and react to altered environmental conditions. Thus, the special sensitivity to altered gravity renders the immune system an ideal biological model system to understand if and how gravity on Earth is required for the normal function of cells and cellular networks. It is one of the most fundamental challenges to find out, if our organism and our cellular machinery are able to live and to adequately perform without the gravity field of Earth. The book is written for immunologists and researchers in human physiology under normal and stressfull conditions.

From the 40th annual conference of the International Society on Oxygen Transport to Tissue (ISOTT), held in Bruges, Belgium in August 2012, this volume covers aspects of clinical applications, muscle oxygenation, cancer, measurement technologies, oxygen transport modelling and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), cell metabolism and brain oxygenation. Each topic was presented by one or two invited speakers, and a series of contributed talks.

In Cytotoxic T-Cells: Methods and Protocols, leading experts in the field provide a collection of state-of-the art methods and protocols encompassing a wide array of systems biology approaches for Cytotoxic T-Cell research. Dived into three main sections, the first part of the volume analyzes the isolation of T Cells along with their expansion and characterization according to different methods. The second part describes required techniques for intracellular signaling, monitoring of antigen T cell specific responses, CTL exosomes, and microscopy and in vivo imaging applied to CTL studies. The final section focuses on specialist applications of molecular methods into the study of CTL, including next generation sequencing of the Jack/stat pathway and CTL involvement in bone remodeling and transplantation. 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 key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Cytotoxic T-Cells: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid scientists in the further study into concepts of laboratory methods using systems biology.

In the relatively few decades since the introduction of HIV into the human population, variants of the virus have diverged to such an extent that, were the discussion about something other than viruses, said variants could easily be classified as different species. This book will consider these evolutionary variations, as well as the different and, at times, opposing theories attempting to explain them. It will compare and contrast the ways in which the immune system and drugs affect the virus's evolution, and the implications of these for vaccine development. The issue will be explored and explained through "ecological genetics," which postulates that all living organisms have, besides rivals, enemies. This is divergent from the more traditional school of "population genetics," which emphasizes that evolution occurs among rival species (or variants thereof) that compete for niches or resources in a fixed, unreactive environment. Both models will be formulated using mathematical models, which will be included in the book. Finally, it will consider the possibilities for designing a vaccine that blocks HIV from escaping the immune system.

This volume examines all facets of the complex biology of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies, which play an essential role in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases and immunity to parasites. It highlights the unique mechanisms involved in the regulation of IgE production at both the molecular and cellular level. Furthermore, it discusses in detail novel findings on how the affinity, specificity and cross-reactivity of IgE can fine-tune mast cell responses to allergens. The book also explores the beneficial roles of IgE antibodies in immunity to helminthes and protection against tumors, and how the properties of IgE-mediated immunity are employed in the development of IgE therapeutic antibodies. All chapters were written by respected experts in their fields and will appeal to scientists and clinicians alike.

Recent research has focused attention on the importance of intrinsic antiviral immunity, i.e. immunity mediated by factors that are constitutively expressed in many cells. In this volume, leading experts provide a comprehensive overview of this relatively new and rapidly evolving field. They cover intrinsic proteinaceous antiviral immune effectors, such as the APOBEC3 and TRIM protein families as well as Tetherin and SAMHD1, which were initially discovered by researchers studying HIV-1. Furthermore, the role of RNA interference in antiviral defense in plants and invertebrates, as well as the interplay between microRNAs and viruses in mammalian cells, are analysed. One chapter discusses how intrinsic immunity and viral countermeasures to intrinsic immune effectors drive both pathogen and host evolution, and finally the emerging evidence that DNA damage response proteins restrict infection by DNA viruses is highlighted.

This inclusive work presents a comprehensive update on vaccines for the international traveller. In over 21 chapters, written by leading writers in travel medicine from Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, vaccinology for travel is explained in accessible terms with a focus on practical information. An initial introduction to immunology proceeds into common travel-related diseases and a risk-analysis for acquiring them, followed by vaccine administration techniques and examples of how this knowledge can be applied to the traveller with special risks including children, pregnant women and mass travel. The book also provides a summary of current clinical practice with respect to travel medicine in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. This straightforward guide to the administration of vaccines for travellers is intended to be the one-stop for the primary healthcare professional needing authoritative practical information speedily. In addition to basic knowledge in vaccinology, guides are offered as to appropriate vaccine recommendations for travel to global regions together with vaccine contents in order to identify any precautions and contraindications. This text presents assessment and management guidelines for common medical presentations to the travel health professional in primary-care health. Easy reference chapters, with practical management parameters for vaccination for travellers, will confidently guide any knowledge acquired permitting self-responsibility in vaccine-preventable disease prevention. 

In Basophils and Mast Cells: Methods and Protocols, experts in this challenging field explore techniques to research these cells from the most practical point of view. Given the tremendous influence of mast cells and blood-borne basophils over immune system function, this volume intends to aid the reader in the development of better tools for the isolation of these cells from primary tissues, peripheral blood, bone marrow, or cord blood. Also covered are protocols for the in vitro and in vivo study of their functions. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology format, chapters in this book contain 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 straight from the researchers who use the methods most. Authoritative and easy to use, Basophils and Mast Cells: Methods and Protocols will provide the necessary tools for future research into mast cells and basophils with the goal of aiding in the quest to shed more light on these fascinating cell types.

In the summer of 1629, John Winthrop described a series of epidemics that devastated Native American populations along the eastern seaboard of New England as a "miraculous plague." Winthrop was struck by the providential nature of these waves of disease, which contributed neatly to the settlers' justifications for colonial expansion. Taking Winthrop's phrase as its cornerstone, Miraculous Plagues reimagines New England's literary history by tracing seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century epidemics alongside events including early migration, the Antinomian controversy, the evolution of the halfway covenant and jeremiad, and Boston's 1721 inoculation controversy. Moving beyond familiar histories of New World epidemics (often referred to as the "virgin soil" model), Cristobal Silva identifies epidemiology as a generic category with specialized forms and conventions. Epidemiology functions as both subject and method in Silva's argument, as he details narratives that represent modes of infection, population distribution, and immunity. He considers how regional and generational patterns of illness affected the perception of communal identity, and he analyzes the translation of epidemic events into narrative and generic terms, providing scholars a new way to conceptualize the relationship between immunology and ideology. Closing with a discussion of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Miraculous Plagues underscores the portability of its insights into the geopolitics of medicine. Just as epidemiology aided in transforming colonial America, it continues to influence questions of geography, community, and identity that are bound up in global health practices today.

This volume provides a set of reviews dedicated to the biology of Interleukin (IL)-10. It includes chapters on its importance for maintaining immune homeostasis in humans, its role in intestinal immunity and its functions during viral and bacterial infections. In addition, it presents reviews on the mechanisms linking innate microbial recognition to the production of IL-10 and on how IL-10 recognition by its receptor functions. The roles of T and B cells as relevant sources of IL-10 are also discussed, with an emphasis on the clinical opportunities offered by IL-10-producing Tr1 cells for the suppression of unwanted immunity. Finally, the functions of other cytokines of the IL-10 family are presented. Collectively, these articles provide a comprehensive overview of our current knowledge on one of the most important anti-inflammatory cytokines known to date.

This book discusses recent developments in several laboratories studying leishmaniasis. Sequencing of the human genome, as well as of the leishmania genome, has led to significant advances in our understanding of host-immune responses against leishmania, and mechanisms of infection-induced pathology, which is responsible for morbidity and mortality. Pathogenesis of Leishmaniasis focuses on the latest basic research into leishmaniasis, but also addresses how advances in understanding can be applied to prevention, control and treatment of what the WHO has classified a neglected tropical disease.

The availability of powerful genome-wide association study technology, during the last five years, has shown that most of the "new" MS susceptibility loci are immune-response genes. It is clear that there is much novelty in the field of MS immunology, which has served as an impetus to invest in new therapies. Notably, most if not all of these are immunotherapies. Even the equally exciting field of cell-based therapies and neuro-regeneration may well rely on cells or growth factors that are no less immunomodulators than restorative of myelin and neural cell function. Multiple Sclerosis Immunology looks at MS immunology as the basis for the present and-even more-the future of treatments for this complex autoimmune condition. Both editors are immunologists, as well as clinical neurologists, and appreciate the importance of a sustained dialogue between basic and clinical scientists to ensure that "translation" is real and not just virtual.

Streptococci are Gram-positive bacteria that cause a wide spectrum of diseases, such as pharyngitis, necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, as well as rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease as sequelae. Antibiotics alone have not been able to control the disease and in spite of many efforts an effective vaccine is not yet available. A prerequisite for novel and successful strategies for combating these bacteria is a complete understanding of the highly complex pathogenic mechanisms involved, which are analyzed in this volume. In ten chapters, prominent authors cover various aspects including streptococcal diseases and global burden, epidemiology, adaptation and transmission, and molecular mechanisms of different diseases, as well as sequelae, vaccine development and clinical management. This book will serve as a valuable reference work for scientists, students, clinicians and public health workers and provide new approaches to meeting the challenge of streptococcal diseases.

This volume covers all aspects of infection by pathogenic Leptospira species, the causative agents of the world's most widespread zoonosis. Topics include aspects of human and animal leptospirosis as well as detailed analyses of our current knowledge of leptospiral structure and physiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, genomics, immunity and vaccines. Updates are presented on leptospiral systematics, identification and diagnostics, as well as practical information on culture of Leptospira. Contact information is also provided for Leptospira reference centers. All chapters were written by experts in the field, providing an invaluable reference source for scientists, veterinarians, clinicians and all others with an interest in leptospirosis.

DNA Vaccines: Methods and Protocols, Third Edition explores innovative approaches and technologies used to design, deliver, and enhance the efficacy of DNA vaccines. Featuring applications which should be of great value in moving vaccines from research to clinic, this detailed volume includes sections on DNA vaccine design and enhancement, delivery systems, production, purification, and quality, as well as chapters on new vaccine applications. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters contain introductions 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, DNA Vaccines: Methods and Protocols, Third Edition serves the important role of further documenting the potential of the DNA vaccination as a platform technology for treatment and prevention of human disease.

Smoking and Lung Inflammation is the first book directly related to chronic lung inflammation of its kind in several respects. First, the it focuses on both basic and clinical research on COPD, and the inflammatory mechanisms that function in these diseases. Second, it is unique with respect to scope of the discussion of the unusual characteristics of the immune response which occurs in these patients. Third, it includes knowledge being gained from translational research conducted through clinical trials at several Medical Schools in the United States. Not only is this research providing information about novel drugs and therapies, but it is also advancing our understanding of the genetics of these diseases. This work will illuminate the molecular basis for these diseases, and hopefully will permit us to individualize the therapies for these diseases.

In Eosinophil: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field of eosinophil biology comprehensively provide detailed methodological insight into the study of this fascinating cell. This book is aimed at a diverse range of basic and clinical scientists who wish to work with eosinophils or who require an update of their knowledge or to gain the information required to study a function of the eosinophil different to their current area of enquiry. 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 key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Eosinophil: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid scientist in the discovery of new hypotheses and for further examination of this intriguing cell.